Photograph by Patrick Feller
A Japanese man who has spent the last 48 years in prison, including 45 years on death row, has been freed after a court ordered a retrial of his case.
Iwao Hajamada, 78, confessed to killing his boss and his boss’ family in 1968 after a 20 day interrogation. He later recanted his confession in court, but was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged.
After spending more than four decades behind bars, making him the longest serving death row inmate in the world, Shizuoka District Court granted his request for a retrial earlier today.
Roseann Rife, East Asia Research Director at Amnesty International said:
“If ever there was a case that merits a retrial, this is it. Hakamada was convicted on the basis of a forced confession and there remain unanswered questions over recent DNA evidence.”
