廢除死刑已成為當今一股國際潮流與不可逆的趨勢，此由國際間與廢除死刑相關並具法律效力之國際人權文書相繼問世可見一般。 故本論文以世界人權宣言及自由權公約第六條為首，輔以國際間對於死刑議題之反覆探討、爭論，以及歐洲區域與廢除死刑相關之歐洲人權公約第六議定書、第十三號議定書之成立，導引出與廢除死刑有直接相關之「死刑廢止條約」之成立背景與制定經緯，並藉由探討「死刑廢止條約」之條文內容，理解國際間支持廢除死刑之國家，即便面臨來自死刑存置國之質疑與挑戰，仍勇於堅持廢除死刑之道路，更讓吾人深感國際間對於人權之無上限保障與努力。 另外，再將焦點轉至筆者身處之中華民國與鄰近國家-日本，探討其境內之死刑制度與相關規範，亦包含法律與憲法層面。又，特別針對日本國境內死刑囚犯之處境，對照國際間對於嫌疑犯乃至於面臨死刑者所規定之對抗法理的手段與應得權益，經比較分析後明白日本國對於人權保障之疏漏與不足；並分析若有朝一日中華民國或日本批准、加入死刑廢止條約，則將面臨之問題與限制。 故，藉由本論文之分析探討，理解死刑早已不符合現今之刑罰手段，更有違國際間一再倡導之「人權」之絕對性與不可侵犯、讓渡之性質。生命權為所有權利之根本，一旦經剝奪，則遑論其他權益之保障，故更加呼應死刑違反人權之最終宗旨。 It is nowadays an irresistible trend to abolish death penalty, which can be easily seen from a sequence of legal human rights documents concerning death sentences worldwide.
The thesis is based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Article 6 to bolster the repetitive exploration and disputes of the death penalty issues internationally and on the founding of the Protocol No. 6 and No. 13 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights. The background and the founding of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights directly relating to the abolishment of death penalty were thus introduced and by the study of which content as to understand countries upholding the abrogation of death penalty, despite encountering doubts and challenges from those with capital punishment, protect human rights with strong efforts and perseverance.
Next, the center will be turned to Taiwan and the neighboring country Japan, exploring the death penalty system and related regulations, including laws and constitution. On top of that, the circumstance of the condemned criminals in Japan is especially focused. By comparing the means and rights for international suspects and condemned criminals struggling with its legality and legitimacy, Japan’s human rights protection loopholes and insufficiency are obvious; followed by the analysis of problems and constraints befalling once ratification of the abolition of capital sentence is ratified by Taiwan or Japan.
Therefore, via the analysis of the thesis, it is understandable that death penalty no longer conforms to the means of punishment in our time as nor shall it violate or waiver the absolute human rights promoted internationally. The fundamental human right is the right to life itself. Once being deprived of, no more presupposition of every other right protection but an echo the death sentence violates the ultimate purpose of human right.
