North Carolina passes "Irina's Law" and reinstates the death penalty by firing squad
In a tense political climate, the state of North Carolina passes "Irina's Law," a penal reform that restores the death penalty and allows executions by firing squad. The measure, named in memory of a murdered young refugee, divides opinion and reignites the debate on justice and human rights in the United States.
The North Carolina Legislature passed the controversial "Irina's Law" on Friday, a sweeping criminal reform that reinstates the death penalty in the state and authorizes the use of firing squad as a method of execution—a practice banned for over half a century.
The law is named after Irina Zarutska, a young Ukrainian refugee murdered on a Charlotte bus in a case that shocked the country and reignited the debate about criminal recidivism and flaws in the justice system.
The bill passed with a large bipartisan majority and was signed into law by Governor Josh Stein, who called the measure "a milestone in strengthening public safety and justice for victims."
Critics of the legislation, including civil rights organizations, denounce the text as a historic setback, warning of the risk of miscarriages of justice and racial discrimination in the criminal justice system.
"Irina's Law" also provides for harsher punishments for violent crimes committed by repeat offenders and establishes a state fund to support victims' families.
While opponents promise to challenge the law in federal court, the state government has already begun preparations to reinstall execution infrastructure and review sentences in pending cases.
The issue promises to dominate the national political debate, reigniting ethical and legal discussions about capital punishment in the United States, a country where the application of the death penalty varies widely from state to state.
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