Worldwide executions

The Editor: I wonder how many people know the United States is the only First World country that still executes its citizens. With its use of the death penalty, the United States is in the same league as Iraq, Yemen, Iran, China and Congo. The continued use of the death penalty causes constant friction with US allies. The United States also executes mentally retarded people and children as young as 16. Iran and Nigeria are the only other countries who execute children, according to a 2001 Human Rights Watch Report on Children’s Rights There are currently twenty-six boys under the age of 18 on death row in Texas, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Public Information.

Peter Quentrall-Thomas
Port-of-Spain