New Delhi ( CNN ) -- The tragic case of the 23-year old woman who was brutally attacked , raped and left for dead by six men in New Delhi on December 16 has highlighted the unacceptable reality millions of women in India are facing . Violence against women is endemic -- more than 220,000 cases of violent crimes against women were reported in 2011 according to official statistics from the Indian government , with the actual number likely to be much higher . If there has been a silver lining to this horrendous case , it has been the enormous outcry from Indian society . What started as student-led protests in New Delhi has grown to encompass Indians from all walks of life and from the whole political spectrum . Tens of thousands have taken to the streets with the clear message that something has to change , and that women should no longer have to live in fear . Read more : End culture of rape in 2013 . But amid the many reasonable and constructive calls on the authorities to address the situation , there is unfortunately a growing chorus of voices calling for the six alleged perpetrators to be executed , or even for mandatory death sentence in cases of sexual violence . Five of the six suspects were formally charged in New Delhi on Thursday , with the authorities investigating whether the sixth suspect is under 18 and a juvenile . The five are expected to be charged with several offences including murder , which is punishable by death under Indian law . Read more : New Delhi gang-rape suspects charged with murder , rape , kidnapping . The anger felt towards the suspects is completely understandable , as is the desire to impose stricter laws around sexual violence to ensure that what happened in Delhi in December never happens again . But imposing the death penalty would just perpetuate the cycle of violence . Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all circumstances , regardless of the circumstances or the nature of the crime . It is the ultimate cruel and inhuman punishment , and a violation of a fundamental human right -- the right to life . There is no evidence to suggest that the threat of execution works as a special deterrent . This is reflected in a clear global trend moving towards the abolition of the death penalty . Today , 140 countries in the world have abolished executions in law or practice . Read more : Opinion : India 's rape problem needs a rewiring of society 's attitude . Up until November 21 , 2012 , when the lone surviving gunman from the 2008 November Mumbai attacks , Ajmal Kasab was hanged , India had not carried out a single execution for almost eight years . Kasab 's killing meant India took a significant step backwards and joined the minority of countries in the world that are still executing . With hundreds of prisoners still on death row in India , this is a key moment for the country and its use of the death penalty . The Indian authorities must not let the Kasab , execution and the outrage around the Delhi rape trigger a resumption of executions on a larger scale . What India needs now is not revenge , but to address the many underlying issues that are perpetuating endemic violence against women . The laws and the justice system must be reformed , and the definition of rape , which is currently far from adequate , should be amended . Read more : Misogyny in India : We are all guilty . The woefully low conviction rate for these crimes must also be addressed , which today only perpetuates a culture of impunity . Imposing the death penalty for sexual assault cases would likely only worsen this situation , as judges would hesitate to give such an extreme sentence , and the legal process would become even lengthier and more complicated . The Indian police force has to be better trained to deal with survivors of sexual violence , and there is a need to develop support systems for survivors . Many women are reluctant to report crimes , fearing humiliation and degrading treatment by the police , or the social stigma that comes from society at large . There are also still serious systematic failures in the Indian justice system that raise questions about its efficiency . To even begin to talk about a method of punishment until these issues have been addressed is to seriously jump the gun . This sentiment has been echoed by many , including U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay , who has called for legal reform while cautioning against the use of the death penalty . After a year in which both Afghanistan and Pakistan resumed executions after relatively long moratoriums , India now has an opportunity to show real leadership on a key human rights issue in the region . There is no question that the country 's women deserve much better legal protection , but the death penalty is not the answer . Read more : New Delhi rape exposes the perils of being a woman in India . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ananth Guruswamy .
The New Delhi gang-rape and murder of a student on December 16 sparked outrage . Many Indians are calling for harsher punishments or death penalty for convicted rapists . Ananth Guruswamy says the death penalty is not the solution to the problem . Guruswamy says that execution `` would just perpetuate the cycle of violence ''