China's secret execution rate revealed

Death-penalty system under fire as academic reports 8,000 killed yearly

Most of the executions are carried out with a bullet to the head, although higher-ranking people in bigger cities are sometimes executed by lethal injection.The number of executions in China is officially a state secret. But the new estimate from academic specialists, based on information provided by local officials and judges, is likely the most accurate figure yet provided.The information was disclosed yesterday by Liu Renwen, an expert on criminal law at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who said that he believes it is accurate.

The total number of executions in the rest of the world -- led by Iran, Vietnam, the United States and Saudi Arabia -- is usually about 400 to 500 annually, according to human-rights groups.Mr. Liu said the number in China has dropped by 50 per cent since a new criminal code was introduced in 1997. But reform of the death-penalty system has been stalled by resistance from local bureaucrats.China's death-penalty record has come under increasing criticism in recent years, not only from international human-rights groups but also from Chinese legal experts and the Chinese media. There has been growing debate in China on the subject, especially after a recent flurry of revelations that innocent people have been convicted or executed in some cases.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060228.CHINA28/TPStory/TPInternational/

"Hey, they've got the right idea!"

china is decidedly funky x(

That's where the change is going to come from. They have many centuries of centralized authorian government and no history of human rights to rely on, but I would be willing to bet the execution rate continues to drop year by year.

A lot of these executions are for financial crimes such as embezzlement from a government organization. As much as I wish America would take white collar crime more seriously, this is a bit harsh.

About twenty years ago in Tibet I saw a truckload of prisoners driven through the streets nearly every day. Was told they were on their way to be executed. No telling how true that assessment was.

Another long time acquaintance has business in China, saw accused company officials taken out to the rear of the building and shot.

8000 might be their official number. At least it is a step toward honesty.

were those the peace loving Tibetans of the Dali Lama! Truckloads, what was their crime, being of a differnat culture...

Not all Tibetans are peace loving.
Still, it's a sad story.

I mean, 8000 sounds extraordinary, but is it with a population of what, 1.5 billion?

That Communist China is a hellhole where people have no rights is not new news for sure. The question I have is why are we so buddy-buddy with them now and send them all our factories, jobs, and take their money to deficit spend. Why did we waste trillions on a Cold War fighting the Godless Commies if they weren't so bad after all?