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Seventy-five countries still maintain the death penalty in their legal system. Some of them ignore it and switch the sentences, but nevertheless Amnesty International recorded 1,813 executions and 3,587 death sentences in 1999. The United States came in ranked fifth after China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Congo.

But very likely the executions are many more in number. In fact, since the outcries of the international community have become more fervent, those countries which still maintain the sentence keep the executions secret. This mostly happens where the press is muted.

Many humanitarian associations fight daily to abolish a nation's right to decide the life, and the death, of their citizens. Among the most important are Amnesty International and Hands Off Cain. To help make change is easy, sometimes it's enough to spread the word to open the eyes of those whom do not want to see.

More information about humanitarian organizations: The Moratorium Campaign, Justice Center, University of Alaska, Derechos.

Arts against the death penalty: Project Grey.

Many more links: 1000+ Death Penalty Links, Human rights Library.

Some reading suggestions:

- The Green Mile, a novel by Stephen King

- Dead Man Walking, a novel by Sister Helen Prejean

- Condemned: Inside the Sing Sing Death House, by Scott Christianson, Director of New York Death Penalty Documentation Project

- Against the Death Penalty: Christian and Secular Arguments Against Capital Punishement , by Gardner C. Hanks

- Cell 2455, Death Row, by Caril Chessman inmate; an insider view

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