Powers of the Veil

[lizvega2]

No: HPFGUIDX 89505

In OOP the room with the veil is referred to by Dumbledore as 
the 'death chamber'.

Does this mean that the wizarding world has an equivalent to the gas 
chamber/electric chair?

I was under the impression that all wizards, even the really bad 
ones, were sent to Azkaban. Sirius was convicted (without a trial by 
Barty Crouch)of killing 13? people- surely if there is such a thing 
as the 'death penalty' for wizards- Sirius alleged actions would 
have merited that sentence, but no, he went to prison.

All of the death eaters who were caught were sent to Azkaban, not 
one word about being executed. 

If these people, surely the worst of the worst, weren't even 
sentenced to death, who would be?

Of course, the veil in the 'death chamber' may not be there to serve 
that purpose. Perhaps it is there as a portal to death? Death would 
be one of the mysteries the the MM would study in the dept. of 
mysteries, surely?

But, if it is a portal to death, and not a death device, then why 
couldn't Sirius be retrieved?