The Wire

Last week Amnesty International released a report detailing the use of the death penalty in China, where thousands of people are excecuted each year. Human Rights groups are now calling for the practice to be abolished and for China to uphold the International treaties it is party to. Ironically, China has recently changed it’s constitution to include the phrase: “The State respects and preserves human rights”. But will this statement make any practical difference in a society where torture to extract confessions is a common occurrance? Helene Ratner spoke to Amnesty International Australia’s Anti-Death Penalty Coordinator, Tim Goodwin; Law professor at the University of Technology Sydney, Ian Dobinson; Senior researcher at the Danish Institute of Human Rights, and human rights advisor to Beijing, Hatla Thelle.

Amnesty International Australia
Danish Institute of Human Rights