Exploring the horrifying and inventive ways still used for capital punishment

Despite advancements in human rights and ethical considerations, some parts of the world still cling to brutal and ghoulish execution methods in 2024. From ancient practices to modern variations, the spectrum of methods is hauntingly diverse.

Hanging, one of the oldest execution methods, persists in several countries, including Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, and the USA. The ‘long drop hanging’ aims for a quicker death by increasing the chance of a broken neck, while ‘crane hanging’ lifts the victim by the neck with a crane, ensuring strangulation.

The USA employs the gas chamber as a method of execution, filling a sealed chamber with toxic gas. Notably, California has deemed this method ‘cruel and unusual.’ Another variant involves administering nitrogen, a method criticized for its inhumanity.

Death by stoning, a slow and agonizing process, remains a method in some parts of the world. Victims endure a prolonged bludgeoning by stones. In North Korea, a stark contrast is seen as execution by an anti-aircraft gun delivers a swift and brutal end.

China, a country with a high execution rate, practices lethal injection and firing squad methods. Reports suggest executions occur in ‘death vans,’ where victims are transported to secluded areas. Amnesty International has raised concerns about organ harvesting post-execution.

As the world grapples with debates on the ethics of capital punishment, these disturbing methods serve as a stark reminder of the dark shadows that persist in some corners of our global society.