AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL OPPOSES THE DEATH PENALTY ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT IS CRUEL, INHUMAN, AND DEGRADING PUNISHMENT WHICH IRREVERSIBLY VIOLATES THE RIGHT TO LIFE. FURTHERMORE, THERE IS A LACK OF CONVINCING EVIDENCE THAT THE DEATH PENALTY DETERS CRIME MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN OTHER SENTENCES. HOWEVER, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL RECOGNIZES THAT SUPPORTERS OF CAPITAL FEEL THAT THE PROTECTION OF THE PUBLIC REQUIRES THE KILLING OF SERIOUS OFFENDERS AND THAT SUCH EXECUTIONS DO DETER CRIME. TO STIMULATE DISCUSSION OF THE TOPIC OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, DATA ARE PRESENTED CONCERNING ITS USE OR ABOLITION WORLDWIDE. A COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY SURVEY REVEALS THE INHERENT ARBITRARINESS OF ALL THE PROCEDURES BY WHICH THE DEATH SENTENCE IS IMPOSED. IT ALSO REFERS TO THOSE JURISDICTIONS WHERE THE DEFENDANT HAS THE BURDEN OF PROVING HIS OR HER INNOCENCE IN CAPITAL OFFENSES. IN COUNTRIES WHICH CONDEMN POLITICAL DISSENTERS TO DEATH, IMPOSITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY AT TRIAL OR WITHOUT JUDICIAL PROCESS AMOUNTS TO THE CARRYING OUT OF GOVERNMENT POLICY AGAINST POLITICAL ACTIVITY. AN ANALYSIS OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN INTERNATIONAL LAW INDICATES THAT MOST COUNTRIES RETAIN CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR SOME CRIMES, BUT THAT THE UNITED NATIONS FAVORS ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY AND HAS ENCOURAGED EFFORTS FOR ABOLITION. A DISCUSSION OF THE USE OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FROM 1977 TO 1979 AND REPORT ON UNITED NATIONS EFFORTS AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY ARE PROVIDED. A PUBLICATION LIST IS INCLUDED