Official announcements from human rights organizations

Japanese Prosecutors Will Not Appeal Iwao Hakamata's Acquittal After 58 Years on Death Row

Oct 8, 2024, 09:43 PM

Japanese prosecutors have announced they will not appeal the recent acquittal of Iwao Hakamata, who was sentenced to death for the robbery and murder of four people in 1966. Hakamata, who spent 58 years on death row, was found innocent last month after courts ruled that the evidence used to convict him was mostly fabricated by investigators. This decision effectively finalizes Hakamata's acquittal, making him a free man. The acquittal was issued on Sept. 26, and Hakamata was the world's longest-serving death row prisoner.