India: Death Without Legal Sanction

This study highlights that India has not been complying with its obligations under the ICCPR and has indeed been imposing death penalty without legal sanction. While the violations of international fair trial standards such as denial of legal assistance of the defendant’s own choosing at every stage of the proceedings and trial without delay are plenty, this report highlights six critical instances of imposition of death penalty without legal sanction. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) ratified by India requires that death penalty may be imposed only in the most serious crimes and further that the trial must meet the highest standards of fair trial as provided under Article 14 of the ICCPR.