The current operation of the country that does not inform death row prisoners until just before the execution.
Sixty-seven years ago, in a civil trial in which the right or wrong of this issue was contested, advance notice was given, and a death row inmate who was informed of his execution met with his family, said goodbye, and spoke words of regret in his own voice. Recorded voice data has been submitted.
Notification of Death Penalty to Condemned Inmates In the past it was before and now just before
According to the government, until around 1975, some death row prisoners were notified in advance of their execution, but there were cases where death row prisoners committed suicide. In order to ensure the stability of the execution," it seems that the operation was changed to an announcement on the day, and now the person is notified one or two hours before the execution.
Plaintiff's death row prisoner filed 'cruel method' lawsuit
Regarding this operation, the two death row inmates currently in the detention center have filed a lawsuit at the Osaka District Court, claiming that it is a cruel method because they cannot face their own death, and requesting advance notice and damages from the government. increase.
Real voice of a death row inmate 67 years ago
In this trial, on the 21st, the plaintiff's side of the death row inmate submitted as evidence more than an hour of voice data recording the state of the death row inmate who was informed of the execution two days before at the Osaka Detention Center in 1955, 67 years ago. Did.
This was secretly recorded by the director of the Osaka Detention Center at the time, and was provided by the director's granddaughter, who said, ``I hope it will be a material for people to know about the death penalty system.''
2 days before execution Notice
* From the voice data
Director: This time, the pardon request was refused and an execution order came.
I'm really sorry, but this is unavoidable.
Death Row: It's been a long time.
Director: Yeah, it's been a long time.
Death Row: It's early.
The day before the execution, I met with my sister.
The death row inmate also had the opportunity to meet her sister and say goodbye.
※Condemned prisoner from audio data
: Thank you very much for your time.
Please give my regards to your mother as well.
And please take care of your children.
Sister, let's cry now, smile and say goodbye.
Sister: Goodbye.
Death Row Prisoner: Sister, goodbye.
On the day of execution Regret for the crime committed
A death row inmate, who had been sentenced to death for shooting a police officer who rushed to the scene during a robbery, expressed regret for the crime he had committed on the day of his execution.
* Condemned prisoner
from audio data : I understand when it comes to the end.
Oh, I think I did something great.
Ah, I wish I hadn't done such a bad thing back then.
I think now, I regret it now.
The plaintiff's side of the death row inmate "I can face the crime more without disturbing my feelings even with advance notice"
Attorney Yutaka Ueda for the plaintiff's death row inmate
"If you listen to this audio, you can see that the feelings of the death row inmate are not disturbed even if they have been notified in advance. Now they can face their own sins and death."
Country ``Notice on the day is reasonable to avoid suicide and riots''
On the other hand, the state side is demanding that the lawsuit be dismissed.
The government's claim:
"The current day-of notification is rational in order to avoid the possibility of suicide or riots. After the notification, we also ask the death-row inmates about their wishes for wills and instruction. "
How the death penalty should be carried out
We must never forget that there are victims who were unreasonably sacrificed in cases where the death penalty was finalized.
Executions should be carefully discussed from various perspectives, including the human rights of death row inmates.
It is also necessary to reconsider the current situation in which the information released by the government on the death penalty is limited.