Why in News
In 2023, the High Courts confirmed the death sentences of 1% of prisoners whose cases were up for decision.
This is the lowest confirmation rate by the appellate courts since 2000.
The lone confirmation came in the Karnataka High Court in a murder simpliciter case.
If the dominant intention of the act was to kill a person, it is ‘murder simpliciter’; otherwise, it is categorised as an accidental murder.
These were some of the findings of the ‘Death Penalty in India: Annual Statistics 2023’ report.
What is Project 39A
Project 39A is a criminal justice initiative based at the National Law University Delhi in India.
Inspired by Article 39A of the Indian Constitution, which emphasizes equal justice and equal opportunity,.
Project 39A works towards reforming India's criminal justice system.
Areas of Focus:
Litigation: They provide pro bono legal representation to death row prisoners across India and to undertrial prisoners in specific locations.
Research: They conduct research on various aspects of the criminal justice system, including the death penalty, mental health and criminal justice, torture, forensics, legal aid, and sentencing.
Outreach: They engage in activities to raise awareness and advocate for reform in the criminal justice system.
Key Achievements:
Conducted extensive research on the death penalty in India, including the first-of-its-kind Death Penalty India Report (2016).
Successfully represented numerous death row prisoners, challenging both conviction and sentencing.
Played a role in developing strategic litigation interventions focused on reforming different aspects of the criminal justice system.
Won the 'Award for Research' at the 8th World Congress.
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