Summary: On Friday convicted killer Ahmed Al-Shamlani Al-Anzi was beheaded by Saudi Arabian officials who then put the body on public display despite harsh criticism from Amnesty International. Al-Anzi had been sentenced to death and 'crucifixion' after being found guilty for kidnapping and killing an 11 year old boy and his father. Government officials in Saudi Arabia publically display excecuted bodies as a tool to scare people from committing similar crimes. After the beheading the head of the criminal is sewn to the body, and the corpse is mounted onto a pole, and displayed for hours. Amnesty International denounced Saudi Arabias extensive use of the death penalty. Last year alone there were 102 executions, and it is thought that more than 136 people are awaiting execution. Often trail proceedings are unfair, without adequate legal representation, and may involve torture. Amnesty says that Saudi Arabia cannot play a role as a world leader or member of the G-20 if they continue in the same path.
Opinion: I cannot believe that in this day and age there are still countries who use such horrific execution methods as beheading, and worse, who still terrorize their citizens through public displays of corpses. I was under the impression that in these modern times there was such a thing as decency, empathy, and basic human rights. The times of the ancient Romans, when blood-thirsty citizens would gleefully watch gladiators fight to the death, is long gone, or at least it should be. In this country there is so much controversy over lethal injection, yet no one pays attention to the attrocities taking place in places like Saudi Arabia. In my opinion the death penalty should be completely banned. It is cruel and unusual punishment no matter how it comes about. I think that criminals would pay the price for their crimes more effectively if they have to live out the rest of their lives in a prison cell. This way they have to live with what they have done, they don't get the easy way out. I hope that one day we won't have to hear about stories like these anymore, because they just won't exist. I hope that our world can overcome this animalistic violence.
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