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| Jeremy Irons speaks out for the world's longest-serving death row prisoner | Jeremy Irons speaks out for the world's longest-serving death row prisoner |
| (25 days later) | |
| Hakamada Iwao is believed to be the world's longest-serving death row prisoner. The 76-year-old Japanese man has been held on death row in Tokyo for the past 44 years, with 30 years in solitary confinement. Hakamada spends each day in anguish not knowing if the next day will be his last. | Hakamada Iwao is believed to be the world's longest-serving death row prisoner. The 76-year-old Japanese man has been held on death row in Tokyo for the past 44 years, with 30 years in solitary confinement. Hakamada spends each day in anguish not knowing if the next day will be his last. |
| In Japan, death row inmates are given no advance notice as to when they will be executed, they can be taken from their cell at any point, and hanged – the uncertainty is excruciating. There are serious concerns about the state of Hakamada's mental health. Over the past 30 years he has exhibited signs of mental illness – described by one psychiatrist as "institutional psychosis" and by another as a "state of insanity". | In Japan, death row inmates are given no advance notice as to when they will be executed, they can be taken from their cell at any point, and hanged – the uncertainty is excruciating. There are serious concerns about the state of Hakamada's mental health. Over the past 30 years he has exhibited signs of mental illness – described by one psychiatrist as "institutional psychosis" and by another as a "state of insanity". |
| Arrested in 1966, Hakamada, a former boxer from Shizuoka prefecture, was charged with the murder of his former employer and the man's wife and two children in the town of Shimizu. He was interrogated by police for 20 days, up to 14 hours a day, without the presence of a lawyer. He confessed to the multiple killing but later retracted this confession saying that he had been beaten and threatened. | Arrested in 1966, Hakamada, a former boxer from Shizuoka prefecture, was charged with the murder of his former employer and the man's wife and two children in the town of Shimizu. He was interrogated by police for 20 days, up to 14 hours a day, without the presence of a lawyer. He confessed to the multiple killing but later retracted this confession saying that he had been beaten and threatened. |
| Hakamada has always maintained his innocence, and he is supported by one of the judges, Kumamoto Norimichi, from his original trial at the Shizuoka District Court that sentenced him to death in 1968. Norimichi spoke out in 2007 to say he believed Hakamada was innocent. Evidence against Hakamada is questionable at best; for example, recent new forensic test results disclosed by Hakamada's defence team found no match between Hakamada's DNA and samples taken from clothing he is alleged to have worn at the time of the crime. | Hakamada has always maintained his innocence, and he is supported by one of the judges, Kumamoto Norimichi, from his original trial at the Shizuoka District Court that sentenced him to death in 1968. Norimichi spoke out in 2007 to say he believed Hakamada was innocent. Evidence against Hakamada is questionable at best; for example, recent new forensic test results disclosed by Hakamada's defence team found no match between Hakamada's DNA and samples taken from clothing he is alleged to have worn at the time of the crime. |
| Amnesty believes Hakamada's trial was unfair. Opposing the death penalty in all circumstances, Amnesty is urging the Japanese government to stop the execution of Hakamada. | Amnesty believes Hakamada's trial was unfair. Opposing the death penalty in all circumstances, Amnesty is urging the Japanese government to stop the execution of Hakamada. |
| This year, as part of Amnesty's Write for Rights Campaign, Jeremy Irons has spoken out on behalf of Hakamada Iwao. Irons – whose acting career has spanned the four decades that Iwao has been on death row – said: | This year, as part of Amnesty's Write for Rights Campaign, Jeremy Irons has spoken out on behalf of Hakamada Iwao. Irons – whose acting career has spanned the four decades that Iwao has been on death row – said: |
| "Just five minutes is all it takes to stand up for someone around the world who so desperately needs to know that others care. People like Hakamada Iwao who has spent 44 years of his life on death row after an unfair trial. That is a cruel injustice. | "Just five minutes is all it takes to stand up for someone around the world who so desperately needs to know that others care. People like Hakamada Iwao who has spent 44 years of his life on death row after an unfair trial. That is a cruel injustice. |
| "Please be part of Amnesty's Write for Rights campaign." | "Please be part of Amnesty's Write for Rights campaign." |
| Watch Jeremy Irons's video here and take action for Hakamada Iwao www.amnesty.org.uk/hakamada | Watch Jeremy Irons's video here and take action for Hakamada Iwao www.amnesty.org.uk/hakamada |
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