Appeal for Suspension of Executions

• Japanese

December 9, 2009
Japan Federation of Bar Associations

Full Text (PDF:77kB)

 

About this Appeal

The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) prepared the "Appeal for Suspension of Executions" and submitted it to the Minister of Justice on December 9, 2009.

 

Summary of this Appeal

The JFBA urges that the following measures concerning the current death penalty system be taken immediately:

1. In order to prevent miscarriages of justice from occurring, the Government of Japan should immediately take the measures listed below.
   
   • Establish the right to a reappraisal of the evidence utilizing more reliable scientific methods
   • Guarantee confidential communication between death row inmates and their attorneys, etc.
   • Establish a court-appointed attorney system for retrial appeals
   • Establish the suspensive effect of requests for retrial
2. The Government of Japan should suspend executions until measures to improve the death penalty system, including the four aforementioned, are taken.