Execution by shooting is a form of capital punishment whereby an executed person is shot by a firearm or firearms. It is the most common method of execution worldwide, used in about 70 countries.^[1] Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution of a convicted criminal by the state as punishment for crimes known as capital crimes or capital offences. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Firearms redirects here. ...

Execution by firing squad is a particular form. In most countries, execution by a firing squad has historically been considered a more honorable death and was used primarily for military personnel. The Third of May by Francisco Goya Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in times of war. ... This article is about a military rank. ...

In some countries, single-executioner shooting is still in use.

Examples from the Soviet bloc

In 20th century communist states, shooting was a standard form of execution of civilians and military alike in, with the Soviet Union setting an example of single-executioner approach. The firing squad, with its usual solemn and lengthy ceremony was used infrequently. The most common way was firing a pistol bullet into the back of the head. This article is about a form of government in which the state operates under the control of a Communist Party. ... Execution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, especially in times of war. ... A Browning 9 millimeter Hi-Power Ordnance pistol of the French Navy, 19th century, using a Percussion cap mechanism Derringers were small and easily hidden. ...

Often the phrase "execution by firing squad" is incorrectly used to translate, for example, the Russian term "расстрел" (rasstrel), which, e.g., in the context of the Soviet Union in the height of the Great Purge, referred to a single-executioner shooting. The Great Purge (Russian: , transliterated Bolshaya chistka) refers collectively to several related campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin during the 1930s, which removed all of his remaining opposition from power. ...

Examples from East Asia

• As a form of the capital punishment in the People's Republic of China, either an assault rifle shot in the back of the head or in the neck is used or a shot by an automatic rifle in the back from behind, is used. In the past the government collected a "bullet fee"^[1] from the relatives of the condemned.
• In Taiwan, the customary method is a single shot aimed at the heart. Prior to the execution, the prisoner is injected with strong anaesthetic to leave him completely senseless. (See Capital punishment in Taiwan)
• In Thailand from 1934 until 19 October 2001, a single executioner would shoot the convict in the back from a mounted machine gun.^[2][3]
• In India in the days before the Raj soldiers who committed crimes were executed by being strapped to a cannon which was then fired. This method, invented by the Mughal emperors, was continued by the British who used it to execute native deserters and mutineers.^{[citation needed]}

The Peoples Republic of China currently uses capital punishment for a variety of crimes, ranging from tax evasion, corruption and racketeering to murder. ... The AK-47 is the worlds most common assault rifle. ... Heckler & Koch G41 automatic rifles are legal in asutralia an america with lisence An automatic rifle is a term generally used to describe a self-loading rifle capable of firing either semi or fully-automatically from a magazine or belt of ammunition. ... Capital punishment is a legal form of punishment in the Republic of China (Taiwan) so far. ... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ...

Notes

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Zelitch, Judah. "Soviet Administration of Criminal Law". University of Pennsylvania Press, 1931

See also

• Use of capital punishment by nation
• Execution-style murder

At one time capital punishment was used in almost every part of the globe, but over the last few decades many countries have abolished it. ... Execution-style murder and execution-style killing are news media buzzwords applied to various acts of criminal murder where the perpetrator kills at close range a conscious victim who is under his complete physical control and who has been left with no course of resistance or escape. ...

External links

• Method of Execution: A Stark Tradition The New York Times, September 30, 2006