> "There is no evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect or that it has any impact on the use and availability of drugs," said Amnesty International's Chiara Sangiorgio in a statement.

Arguing about whether the death penalty acts or not as a deterrent can distract from the primary point. If one believes the death penalty is wrong in principle, then that should be the central argument. Debating its effectiveness opens the door to counterarguments and can weaken the stance. I believe that the focus should be on the moral and ethical reasons against it.