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Once Again, China Wins the Olympics of Death

According to Amnesty International's report, in 2008 China carried out more executions than the rest of the world put together, almost three quarters of the world's total - a minimum of 1,718 executions. So even if the regime can't consider the Summer Olympics to have been much of a victory, they have by far won Olympics of Death for 2008.

The reason why the total of number of executions in China increased in such a signficant manner (from 470 in 2007) is due to the fact that Amnesty International has begun to include evaluations of human rights groups, NGO's, academics, local media, and their own contacts in their official estimate, and no longer only official figures. This, because in the "People's" Republic records of death sentences and executions are classified as state secrets.

Aubrey Harris, co-ordinator for Amnesty International in Canada, stated that the estimated figure for China is still low in comparison with what they believe to be the true number of executions. Amnesty's U.K. director Kate Allen stated in an interview, "According to reliable estimates, on average China secretly executes around 22 prisoners every day." The Dui Hua Foundation, a U.S. group that works to free Chinese political prisoners, estimates that during 2007 between 5,000 and 6,000 executions took place in in China.

There are 68 capital crimes in China. They include smuggling cultural relics, precious metals and rare wildlife, counterfeiting currencies, fraudulent use of bills, tax fraud and the forgery of sales tax invoices and damage of electrical facilities.

There are two principal methods of execution in China. One is lethal injection, often in vans equipped to take the prisoner's organs away to be sold for transplants. The government insists that the donations of prisoner's organs are performed with the permission of the donors and their families.

The other is a shot to the back of the neck while shackled and kneeling on the ground. The shooting of prisoners increasingly takes place on prison grounds. This, after closed trails, little or no access to defense lawyers and often based on the usual "confessions," at times without even informing the prisoner's family members.

China does not release statistics on inmate deaths in its jails. Allegations of abuse and torture of prisoners are frequent. "In China, torture and other ill-treatment remain commonplace because detainees have restricted access to lawyers and their family, and the prosecution commonly relies on confessions as a form of evidence... Increasing reports of deaths in custody reflect a serious problem with China’s detention system that must be addressed with a thorough overhaul. The Chinese authorities must also conduct independent investigations into all deaths in custody and bring those responsible to justice," said Roseann Rife, Deputy Director of Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Program. Since 8 February 2009, at least five prisoners have reportedly died while awaiting trial, the youngest just 18 years old, according to the newspaper China Daily.

The Communist Party’s latest four-year plan for legal reforms does not include changes in the detention system.

Deaths due to torture or failure to provide medical are not calculated in the number of executions.

A slight decrease in executions was reported during the pre-Olympic period last year.

Sources:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/mobile-death-chambers-take-capital-punishment-on-the-road-1652594.html
http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/607790
http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/death-penalty-2390-executions-2008-worldwide-72-cent-china-20090324
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/15/humanrights.olympicgames2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/world/asia/25china.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_INMATE_DEATHS?SITE=AZTUC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=awXGywAXDxY8&refer=home
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-spearheads-surge-in-statesponsored-executions-1652595.html
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Capital-Punishment-In-China-Executions-Still-Used-Routinely-For-Minor-Crimes-Writes-Holly-Williams/Article/200903415247725?lpos=World_News_First_World_News_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15247725_Capital_Punishment_In_China%3A_Executions_Still_Used_Routinely_For_Minor_Crimes%2C_Writes_Holly_Williams

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