Whenever a terrorist attack or other high-profile crime occurs, an endless debate arises in society about lifting the moratorium on the death penalty.
Perhaps this is one of the first questions that comes to mind. And probably this is natural: people need to throw out anger, aggression and anger at their own powerlessness. Find the criminals and punish them in the harshest possible way. To destroy.
It seems that even if this does not bring back the dead, it will at least allow justice to be restored.
The arguments are always the same: There are murderers in our taxes, we support them; why do they live but have no victims, where is the punishment; The death penalty will deter potential criminals from crossing the line.
NO. As practice around the world shows, he will not back down. In countries where there is the death penalty, there is also crime. And there are terrorist attacks. And brutal murders. The fact that the criminal may lose his life if found and convicted does not stop the murderer.
And this is also understandable from a psychological point of view: after all, not a single person who decides to commit a crime plans to get caught. He is sure that he will escape justice, so he is not afraid of the death penalty. Also, many of the terrorists are suicide bombers, meaning they are prepared to die in the beginning. They certainly won’t fear execution, so what’s the point of fighting terrorism?
The arguments of those who oppose the death penalty are also known: What if we shoot an innocent person; Someone sentenced to life imprisonment can appeal, but someone sentenced to death row cannot; After all, it is human’s right to life.
I will add another claim I heard years ago from an elderly colleague. The state is not an unknown “they”. We are the state, each of us. And the responsibility for each execution will rest with each of us, and it doesn’t matter whether it is fair or not.
The last thing in the world I want to do is live under the weight of such responsibility.
What’s happening with Crocus is terrible. And it is clear that many of us have gone crazy in a sense – we began to demand the death penalty, to destroy terrorists, to punish them, to torture them, to kill them slowly and painfully. This is from powerlessness, fear, pain. But we must remain human.
Footage of the arrest of the suspects, and especially the gruesome video of a special forces soldier cutting off part of the ear of one of the suspects, went viral on the internet. What motivations this fighter has is unknown and perhaps not very interesting. Someone is trying to make up false religious motives for this: Supposedly, the earless are not allowed to enter the Muslim paradise. However, the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation does not yet seem to regulate such fine matters as a ticket to heaven. Anger and hatred towards terrorists is understandable. But this is not a reason to maim them, because such actions only increase aggression and intensify the madness that surrounds us.
This terrible story also showed some positive changes in society: We see many stories of how people are willing to risk their lives to save others. How wardrobe kids drew people away from the mall. How a brave man snatched a machine gun from a terrorist’s hand. How the center staff remained in place and directed visitors to the exit. And dozens more similar examples.
What does this mean? In difficult situations like these, we come together as a society. We are ready to help and support each other. Thousands of people donated blood after learning about what happened (I remind you that all donors must be tested at the same health institution 120 days after donation, otherwise the blood will be destroyed and your help will be meaningless. This is important, please remember!). We become more humane in inhumane conditions. We are compassionate and helpful.
And we must not let the vortex of hatred engulf us. Terrorist attacks are terrible. But the answer to these is that the death penalty is no better.
We need to remain human in all situations.
The author expresses his personal opinion, which may not coincide with the position of the editors.
What are you thinking?
Source: Gazeta
Dolores Johnson is a voice of reason at “Social Bites”. As an opinion writer, she provides her readers with insightful commentary on the most pressing issues of the day. With her well-informed perspectives and clear writing style, Dolores helps readers navigate the complex world of news and politics, providing a balanced and thoughtful view on the most important topics of the moment.