Iwo Hakamada, the world’s longest-serving death row inmate on Monday got a reprieve from a Japanese court. Read to know more.
All about the longest-serving death row inmate in the world:
87-year-old Iwo Hakamada, the world’s longest-serving death row inmate and former Japanese boxer got a reprieve. On Monday, Tokyo’s High Court ordered a retrial of a case finding Hakamada guilty of the murder of four. The former boxer has been serving time for five decades. Hakamada was sentenced in 1969 for murdering his boss in addition to the boss’ wife and two children. He initially denied accusations but confessed after “brutal police interrogation that included beatings”. (https://blogs.20minutos.es/) His attempts for retracting the confession were futile. Moreover, the Supreme Court in 1980 confirmed his verdict.
More on the case
Following a prolonged legal battle, a district court in the Japanese city of Shixouka granted a retrial in 2016. The court believed investigators could have planted evidence or manipulated it. However, Tokyo’s High Court overturned the ruling after four years. Hence, the case relating to the death row inmate was sent to the Supreme court on appeal. In 2020, the judges there ruled that the Tokyo High Court must reconsider the decision.
Lawyers left the court on Monday after the session and extended banners reading “re-trial”. His supporters shouted for freeing him. “I was waiting for this day for 57 years and it has come. Finally a weight has been lifted from my shoulders,” stated Hideko. Hideko, his 90-year-old sister has been campaigning tirelessly on her brother’s behalf.
