US: Alabama faces international criticism for 'cruel' nitrogen execution of inmate

The first-ever execution carried out by the US state of Alabama, using nitrogen gas, on Thursday (Jan 25) received widespread criticism from the international community forbeing 'cruel'. They alsoheldthe controversial method adopted by the United Statesof being close to "torture."

The court had given a death sentence to Kenneth Eugene Smith in 1996 for a 1988 murder and he was pronounced dead at 8:25 pm (0225 GMT Friday), as per local media, which cited southern state Governor Kay Ivey's statement.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk on Friday (Jan 26) said that the convicted murderer's execution by nitrogen gas suffocation in the United States can amount to torture.

"I deeply regret the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith in Alabama despite serious concerns this novel and untested method of suffocation by nitrogen gas may amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment," said Turk, in a brief statement.

"The death penalty is inconsistent with the fundamental right to life. I urge all states to put in place a moratorium on its use, as a step towards universal abolition,” he added.

'Cruel and unusual punishment': EU

The European Union, on Friday (Jan 26), reacting to the convicted murderer's execution using nitrogen gas in the US state of Alabama, said that it "deeply regrets" the incident.

"According to leading experts, this method is a particularly cruel and unusual punishment," aEuropean Union spokesman said in a statement.

The 27-nation bloc has stood strongly in opposition to the death penalty and criticised executions, which are carried out in different countries, on a regular basis.

Watch:Gravitas: Alabama to carry out first Nitrogen gas execution

Smith hadsurvived an execution attemptin November 2022 after officials in Alabama failed to insert an intravenous line's needle in his body, and aborted theexecution.

Meanwhile, a peace group – which is closely associated with the Vatican – had earlier said that it would appeal to the European tourists and businesses to boycott Alabama if execution is carried out.

Sant' Egidio Community's Mario Marazziti, in a press conference, had said, "This is a proposal that we will make if the execution of Kenneth Smith goes ahead.”

"There is a moment in which you have to choose. Even for South Africa, it seemed that to boycott could not be effective but it became decisive to end the apartheid regime. I think we must try something that has not been tried so far," Marazziti said while speaking to Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies)