After a prolonged period of incarceration on death row, an individual of Japanese nationality has been freed.
For over five decades, a Japanese man, now 88 years old, has experienced a remarkable turnaround in his legal case. Originally sentenced to death back in 1968 for a grave crime involving his employer and their family, the court in Shizuka recently deemed him innocent in a retrial. As a result, Iwao Hakamada, believed to be the longest-serving death row inmate globally, has been exonerated.
Hakamada's initial confession following weeks of severe questioning by police was later retracted. He accused the authorities of pressuring him to admit guilt during the grueling interrogations. Moreover, he alleged that the evidence used against him was fabricated and manipulated to secure a conviction.
Despite these serious claims, the Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence back in 1980. However, a twist of fate occurred in 2014 when a lower court unexpectedly granted Hakamada the opportunity for a fresh trial. As a result, he was granted temporary release from death row to await the retrial proceedings.
Hakamada's prolonged solitary confinement on death row has undoubtedly taken a significant toll on his mental health. Among the few democratic nations still practicing capital punishment, Japan and the United States stand out.
The Japanese man, Iwao Hakamada, faced intense scrutiny from Japanese authorities during his initial trial. Despite being Japanese, Hakamada's case attracted global attention due to his lengthy imprisonment on death row.
