Jamaica's parliament has voted to keep the death penalty, as the Caribbean nation struggles to contain one of the world's highest murder rates.
Jamaica has had a moratorium on the death penalty since 1988 but the governing Jamaica Labour Party, elected last year, has pushed for its return.
Jamaica currently has nine men on death row. There have been over 1,200 murders on the island last year.
The vote followed weeks of passionate debate. Thirty-four members of parliament voted in favour of capital punishment, 15 voted against. There were 10 abstentions.
Those opposed wanted improvements to Jamaica's heavily criticised police and justice system, while those in favour pointed to the ever-upward rise in violent crime.
Jamaica has had a moratorium on the death penalty since 1988 but the governing Jamaica Labour Party, elected last year, has pushed for its return.
Jamaica currently has nine men on death row. There have been over 1,200 murders on the island last year.
The vote followed weeks of passionate debate. Thirty-four members of parliament voted in favour of capital punishment, 15 voted against. There were 10 abstentions.
Those opposed wanted improvements to Jamaica's heavily criticised police and justice system, while those in favour pointed to the ever-upward rise in violent crime.