In a blatant show of contempt for international systems of human rights protection, the government of Jamaica is planning to hang three men this week, Amnesty International said today. In the cases of Patrick Taylor and Anthony McLeod the Committee concluded that their rights had been violated and recommended that the men should not be executed. Christopher Brown's petition is still pending with the Committee and is scheduled to be considered at its next meeting in March - April 1999. In response to the execution warrants, the Committee has written to the Jamaican government requesting the commutation of Christopher Brown's death sentence while his petition is pending and reminding the government of its obligation to implement the Committee's recommendations in the cases of Patrick Taylor and Anthony McLeod. However, the organization opposes the use of the death penalty as it constitutes the ultimate in cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments.
Executions achieve nothing but the further brutalization of society.
In October 1997, Jamaica became the first country ever to withdraw from the Optional Protocol. There are currently more than 40 people on death row in Jamaica. The last executions took place on 18 February 1988 when Stanford Dinnal and Nathan Foster were hanged.