When the innocent fall victim

Two years ago, anti-death penalty advocates were surprised by Thailand’s first execution in nine years when 26-year-old Teerasak Longji was executed at Bangkok’s Bang Kwang Central Prison by lethal injection for aggravated murder.

Despite the severity of the crime, following through with capital punishment is almost always a contentious call for the judge, especially because of its moral, ethical and human rights implications.

Teerasak’s execution attracted a fair share of debate over the actual need for the death penalty. While many agreed with it, a significant number disagreed, refuting the argument that life for a life was not the method to curb criminal activity, even of a severely heinous nature.

While Thailand is unlikely to abolish the death penalty, a global movement against the practice has provided…