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What is the current UK law about the death penalty?

Capital punishment is not used in the UK. It was abolished for murder in 1965 and abolished for all crimes in 1998. In 2004, the UK agreed not to restore the death penalty for as long as it is part of the .

Which of the aims of punishment are met by the death penalty?

The death penalty, also referred to as capital punishment, aims to protect society and to deter others from committing crime.

Sikh arguments in favour of the death penalty

There is no specific teaching on capital punishment in the Guru Granth Sahib. Some Sikhs interpret this to mean that if the death penalty was wrong, there would be a specific teaching on it for them to follow. As there is not, it must be accepted as a form of punishment.

Sikh arguments against the death penalty

Many Sikhs do not agree with the death penalty. They have this view because of the following reasons.

• Equality and dignity are vital. Executing people takes away their right to human dignity.
• There is no teaching in the Guru Granth Sahib on the death penalty, and some Sikhs think that if it were allowed, the holy book would give guidelines for its usage.
• The Ten Gurus appear to be against the death penalty, as they did not use it for criminals they encountered.
• Sikhs are banned from 'killing in cold blood'. The death penalty may be regarded as 'killing in cold blood'.
• When Maharaja Ranjit Singh ruled the Punjab at the start of the 19th century, none of his subjects were executed. As this was the only time when Sikhs ran an independent nation, Sikhs should follow this example today and oppose the death penalty.