News
The World Council of Churches' Commission of Churches on International Affairs (WCC/CCIA) has today sent a letter to George Ryan, the former governor of Illinois, regarding his decision to commute the death sentences of all the prisoners on death row in the State of Illinois.
The full text of the letter sent by Peter Weiderud, WCC/CCIA director, follows:
"The World Council of Churches welcomes and appreciates your decision of the 11th January, as Governor of the State of Illinois, to commute the death sentences of 167 prisoners on death row to life in prison without parole. Your action, based on the desire to fulfil a moral obligation because the system is "haunted by the demon of error", is a bold and significant statement that questions capital punishment. For years, churches and human rights organizations have said that death penalty is a punishment that is often used in a discriminatory way on the poor, minorities, on oppressed groups within societies, or against political opponents of those in power.
The Council believes that all human beings created in God's image have inherent dignity and are of infinite worth, and that the taking of human life is against the will of God. The capital punishment operates against the Christian principles of compassion, love and forgiveness. To promote the abolition of capital punishment is an expression of Christian belief in the sanctity of life. As a long-standing advocate for abolishment of capital punishment, the Council has consistently urged governments to sign and ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that aims at abolition of death penalty. In keeping with this position, the World Council of Churches has campaigned with other international organizations for abolition of the death penalty in the United States of America, and are therefore greatly encouraged by your action.
It is our hope that the decision taken by you in this matter will stimulate others concerned in the United States and other countries as well to review and reconsider the flaws inherent in the system of capital punishment."