International | The death penalty

The executioner's throng

UNTIL they were abolished in 1868, public executions were a common entertainment in Britain. Last year only four countries carried them out: Saudi Arabia, Iran, North Korea and Somalia. In Britain, it took a further century before hanging ceased altogether. Amnesty International's report on the use of the death penalty in 2011 uses publicly available data and therefore substantially undercounts many countries (such as China and Iran). It notes a worldwide trend towards abolition. But much of the world is still enthused by judicial killing, at least in private. On March 29th Japan hanged three convicted multiple murderers, its first executions since 2010.

This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline "The executioner's throng"

France in denial

From the March 31st 2012 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

Discover more

Narendra Modi’s secret weapon: India’s diaspora

Migrants help campaign for the prime minister at home and lobby for the country abroad

Why young men and women are drifting apart

Diverging worldviews could affect politics, families and more


We’re hiring a global correspondent

An opportunity to join our editorial staff in London