1. Paraguay abolishes the death penalty for ordinary crimes. 2. Amnesty International cautions Philippines against reintroduction of the death penalty. 3. Luxembourg ratifies the Second Optional Protocol. 4. Public executions: Afghanistan. 5. Public executions: Albania. 6. Iraq: Executions for economic crimes. 7. Pakistan: death penalty for blasphemy. 8. Russian Federation: death penalty statistics. 9. United Kingdom: death of a public executioner (Albert Pierrepoint). 10. Book review: Life on death row: one man’s fight against racism and the death penalty; by Merrilyn Thomas. 11. Book review: Medicine betrayed: the participation of doctors in human rights abuses; by the British Medical Association.