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Capital punishment

Issues

Debate Religious views Wrongful execution Participation of medical professionals (United States)

By country or region

Australia · Brazil · Canada People's Republic of China Europe (France · Germany Italy · United Kingdom) India · Iran · Iraq · Japan Malaysia · New Zealand Pakistan · Philippines Russia · Singapore Republic of China (Taiwan) United States · more

Methods

Decapitation · Electrocution Firing squad · Gas chamber Hanging · Lethal injection Shooting · more

v • d • e

At one time capital punishment was used in almost every part of the globe, but over the last few decades many countries have abolished it. Amnesty International classifies countries into four categories.

• 59 countries still maintain the death penalty in both law and practice. (Also lists the Palestinian Authority)
• 90 countries have abolished it completely. (Also lists the Cook Islands & Niue)
• 10 retain it, but only for crimes committed in exceptional circumstances (such as crimes committed in time of war).
• 35 countries maintain laws permitting the use of the death penalty for ordinary crimes, but have allowed the death penalty to fall into disuse for at least 10 years.

Additionally, five countries still execute child offenders.¹ In some countries the practice of extrajudicial execution sporadically or systematically outside their own formal legal frameworks still occurs. This list below includes several unrecognized states with de facto control over their territory and dependent territories, neither of which are included in the above numbers.

Contents 1 Africa 2 Asia 3 Europe 4 North America and Caribbean 5 Oceania 6 South America 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

Note: The tables can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the icon.

Africa

Executions in 2007: Botswana (1), Egypt (?), Equatorial Guinea (3), Ethiopia (1), Libya (9), Somalia (5), Sudan (7)

Key	Country	Last Execution	Abolished	Notes
	Algeria	1993, August		Treason and espionage; attempts to change the regime or actions aimed at incitement; destruction of territory, sabotage to public and economic utilities; massacres and slaughters; participation in armed bands or in insurrectionary movements; counterfeiting; murder; acts of torture or cruelty; kidnapping; aggravated theft
	Angola		1992 (by Constitution)
	Benin	1987		armed robbery2; Murder3; traffickers involved in "labor exploitation"4
	Botswana	2007		Murder; Treason; Attempt on the life of the head of state; Mutiny; Desertion in the face of the enemy
	Burkina Faso	1988		Treason5
	Burundi	2000 or later6		Murder 7
	Cameroon	1997, January8		Secession; espionage; incitement to war9
	Cape Verde	1835	1981 (by Constitution)
	Central African Republic	1981		Treason; espionage; charlatanism; witchcraft; assassination; murder10
	Chad	200311		Murder
	Comoros	1996 or later12
	Democratic Republic of the Congo	200313
	Congo	1982
	Côte d'Ivoire	None since independence14	2000
	Djibouti	None since independence	1995
	Egypt	2007		Rape, only if accompanied by kidnapping of the victim. Murder. Treason. Organized Drug Trafficking.
	Equatorial Guinea	2007
	Eritrea
	Ethiopia	2007, August15		Murder
	Gabon	198116
	Gambia	1981		Treason. Abolished 1993 but was reinstated by Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council in August 199517
	Ghana	1993		Murder; Treason; Armed robbery17
	Guinea-Bissau	1986	1993 (by Constitution)
	Guinea	200118		Murder
	Kenya	1984		Murder and armed robbery13
	Lesotho
	Liberia	199517		On September 16 2005, Liberia had acceded to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, completely abolishing the death penalty, but re-introduced elements of it again in July, 2008.19
	Libya	2008		High treason; attempt to forcibly change the form of government; premeditated murder20
	Madagascar	1958
	Malawi	199221
	Mali	1980
	Mauritania	1987		Sodomy22; Apostasy23 (Although apostasy is a capital offense there are no recorded executions for it).
	Mauritius	1987	1995
	Morocco	1993		Terrorism13. An abolition law project is being presented to the Parliament of Morocco in spring 2007. (see Human rights in Morocco#Capital punishment)
	Mozambique	1986	1990 (by Constitution)
	Namibia	1988	1990 (by Constitution)
	Niger	1976
	Nigeria	200117		Sodomy24. Each of the 36 states have their own laws. In the north of the country the legal system used is Sharia (Islamic law)
	Rwanda	1998	200725
	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic	1976		The Constitution of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic explicitly outlaws the death penalty; Article 13, from the 1991 revision reads "The death penalty is banned" (translated into English from the Arabic.)26
	São Tomé and Príncipe	None since independence	1990 (by Constitution)
	Senegal	1967	2004, December 10
	Seychelles	None since independence	1993 (by Constitution)
	Sierra Leone	1998		Treason27; Murder; Aggravated robbery. Under the Special Court for Sierra Leone the death penalty is not a punishment for war crimes
	Somalia	2008		After the breakdown of de jure government, most regions reverted to Islamic law
	Somaliland
	South Africa	1991, January 318	1997	On 25 May 2005 the Constitutional Court ordered that all remaining death sentences in the country be set aside and the prisoners resentenced. This last execution occurred in the internationally unrecognised Black "homelands". The last execution in Pretoria Central Prison was on November 14, 1989.
	Sudan	2007		Sodomy 28; Waging war against the state29; Apostasy23; Prostitution; Treason; Acts which may endanger the independence or unity of the state; Murder; Armed robbery; Weapons possession and smuggling
	Swaziland	198330		Murder 31; treason
	Tanzania	1994		Murder; Treason
	Togo	197832		Premeditated murder; plots against the security of the State
	Tunisia	1991		Murder; violence and aggression; attacks against the internal security of the State; attacks against the external security of the State
	Uganda	200333		Treason; Terrorism; Murder34; Rape; Defilement; Aggravated robbery; Aggravated kidnapping. On June 14, 2005 the Constitutional court ruled that although the death penalty was constitutional, its use as a mandatory punishment for certain crimes was not.35
	Zambia	1997		Murder; Aggravated robbery; High treason. President Levy Mwanawasa stated in 2004 that "For as long as I remain President, I will not execute a death warrant."21
	Zimbabwe	2003, June36		Drug trafficking; Treason; Murder; Mutiny

Asia

Executions in 2007: Afghanistan (15), Bangladesh (6), People's Republic of China (470+), Indonesia (2), Iran (244), Iraq (29), Japan (9), North Korea (9), Kuwait (1), Pakistan (31), Saudi Arabia (140), Singapore (2), Syria (5), Vietnam (25), Yemen (8)

Key	Country	Last Execution	Abolished	Notes
	Afghanistan	2007, October 837		Murder; child smuggling in order to use the victim's body parts; Apostasy (see Abdul Rahman (convert))
	Armenia	199138	2003
	Azerbaijan	1992	1998
	Bahrain	2008		premeditated murder; plotting to topple the regime; collaborating with a foreign hostile country; threatening the life of the Emir; defiance of military orders in time of war or martial law
	Bangladesh	2007		Murder 39; drug offences 40; Trafficking in children for immoral or illegal purposes; Trafficking in women for purposes of prostitution41
	Bhutan	197421	2004
	Brunei	1957		Murder; unlawful possession of firearms and explosives; possession of heroin or morphine of more than 15 grams, Cocaine of more than 30 grams, Cannabis of more than 500 grams, Syabu or methamphetamine of more than 50 grams, or Opium of more than 1.2 kg42
	Cambodia		1989 (by Constitution)
	China	2008		Embezzlement; Rape of children; Fraud; Bombing; People trafficking; Piracy; Theft; Corruption; Arson; Murder; "Endangering national security"; Terrorism43 (see Capital punishment in the People's Republic of China) (The two special administrative regions, namely Hong Kong and Macau, have abolished death penalty.)
	Taiwan	2005		Since 2004, most death sentences have been informally given moratorium by President Chen Shui-bian except serious murders. (see Capital punishment in Taiwan)
	Timor-Leste		1999
	Hong Kong	1966	1993*	*when Hong Kong was under British rule, and remains so after the handover to the People's Republic of China.
	India	2004, August 1444		Murder,Rape, instigating a child's suicide, treason, acts of terrorism, or a second conviction for drug trafficking. For more information see Capital punishment in India
	Indonesia	2008, November 945		Drug trafficking46; Terrorism47
	Iran	2008		Sodomy; Armed Robbery; Terrorism; Drug trafficking; Kidnapping & rape; Murder; accounts for two-thirds of the global total of child offender executions1
	Iraq	2008		murder; endangering national security; distributing drugs; rape; attacks on transport convoys; financing and execution of terrorism48. Suspended in April 2003 after 2003 invasion; reinstated May 2005.
	Israel	1962	1954 (for other crimes)	Crimes against humanity49, high treason. Only one execution after 1954 (high-ranking Nazi Adolf Eichmann).
	Japan	2008, June 1750		Prosecutors only push for the death penalty in the case of multiple murders, or single murder with aggravating circumstances.51 Judges usually impose death penalty in case of multiple homicides. Between 1946 and 2003, Japanese courts sentenced 766 people to death, 608 of whom were executed. For 40 months from 1989 to 1993 the successive ministers of justice refused to authorise executions, which amounted to informal moratorium.
	Jordan	2005		Murder52
	Kazakhstan	200353	2007	Terrorism, crimes in wartime54. Moratorium since 17 December 2003
	North Korea	200855		Plots against national sovereignty; terrorism ; treason against the Motherland by citizens; treason against the people; murder56
	South Korea	1997, December 3057		Murder 58. There has been an unofficial moratorium on executions since President Kim Dae-jung took office in February 1998.59
	Kuwait	2007		Drugs Trafficking; Rape & Murder
	Kyrgyzstan		20076061	Kyrgyz authorities had extended a moratorium on executions each year since 1998.
	Laos	1989		Drugs trafficking62
	Lebanon	2004		Murder63
	Macau			Death penalty and life imprisonment are prohibited, even after the handover to the People's Republic of China.64 The maximum possible sentence is imprisonment for 30 years.65
	Malaysia	200666		Mandatory for Trafficking in dangerous drugs; Discharging a firearm in the Commission of a scheduled offence; Accomplices in case of discharge of firearm; Offences against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s person; Murder. Discretionary for Kidnapping; Consorting with person carrying or having possession of arms or explosives; Waging or attempting to wage war or abetting the waging of war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri67
	Maldives	1952		Murder68
	Mongolia			terrorist acts committed for political purposes; terrorist acts against representatives of a foreign State for political purposes; sabotage; premeditated murder committed with aggravating circumstances; and rape with aggravating circumstances ; Armed Robbery69. According to Amnesty International, executions were carried out in secret and there are no official statistics70
	Burma	1993		High treason71
	Nagorno-Karabakh Republic	Never		de facto moratorium on executions since 1997
	Nepal	1979	1997 (by Constitution)
	Oman	200172		Murder; Drug trafficking73
	Pakistan	2008		Murder; Sodomy74; Gang rape; Mutiny (see Capital punishment in Pakistan)
	Palestinian Authority	200575		Murder; Rape; Collaborating with Israeli forces to assassinate Palestinians76. There had been an unofficial moratorium since 2002 after President Yasser Arafat stopped authorising executions.
	Philippines	2000	2006, June 24	Abolished in 1987 under the present constititution, re-introduced in 1993, re-abolished on June 24, 2006 under Republic Act No. 9346.
	Qatar	2001		Espionage77; Threat to national security78; Apostasy23. Although apostasy is a capital offense there are no recorded executions for it
	Saudi Arabia	200879		Many violent and nonviolent offenses including murder, apostasy, drug offenses, witchcraft and sexual misconduct.80. Method most often used is beheading by a sword
	Singapore	2007		murder, kidnapping, treason, certain firearm offenses, trafficking in more than 15 grams (half an ounce) of heroin or morphine, 30 grams of cocaine or 500 grams of cannabis81 (see capital punishment in Singapore)
	Sri Lanka	1976, June 23		Murder, Perjury causing an innocent person to be executed, rape, drug trafficking. Moratorium from 1976 to 2003; reinstated in 2004citation needed, however no executions have been carried out.
	Syria	2007		treason; murder; political acts such as bearing arms against Syria in the ranks of the enemy, desertion of the armed forces to the enemy and acts of incitement under martial law or in wartime; violent robberies; rape; verbal opposition to the government; and membership in the Muslim Brotherhood
	Tajikistan	2004		Murder with aggravating circumstances; rape with aggravating circumstances; terrorism; biocide; genocide82. Moratorium introduced 30 April 2004 by President Emomalii Rahmon
	Thailand	2003, December 12		Offenses include Regicide; Sedition or Rebellion; Offences committed against the external security of Thailand; Murder or attempted murder of a foreign head of state; Bribery; Arson; Rape; Murder with intent; Kidnapping; Robbery resulting in death. For a full list see here (PDF)
	Turkmenistan		1999 (by Constitution)
	United Arab Emirates	200283		Murder; Drug offences84; homosexuality8586; Rape; Treason; Aggravated robbery; Apostasy; Environmental pollution; Terrorism
	Uzbekistan	200587	2008	President Islom Karimov signed a decree on 1 August 2005 that replaced the death penalty with life imprisonment on 1 January 20088889
	Vietnam	2007		treason; taking action to overthrow the government; espionage; rebellion; banditry; terrorism; sabotage; hijacking; destruction of national security projects; undermining peace; war crimes; crimes against humanity; manufacturing, concealing and trafficking in narcotic substances; murder; rape; robbery; embezzlement; fraud90
	Yemen	2008		Murder 91; Adultery92; homosexuality8593; Apostasy23. Although apostasy is a capital offense there are no recorded executions for it

Europe

Main article: Capital punishment in Europe

Executions in 2008: Belarus (3)

Key	Country	Last Execution	Abolished	Notes
	Albania	199538	2007	Ratification of Protocol No. 13 of ECHR took place on February 6th and in effect by June 1st, 2007. 94
	Andorra	1943	1990 (by Constitution)
	Austria	1950	1968 (by Constitution)
	Belarus	2008, February95		acts of aggression; murder of a representative of a foreign state or international organization with the intention to provoke international tension or war; international terrorism; genocide; crimes against the security of humanity; murder with aggravating circumstances; terrorism; terrorist acts; treason that results in loss of life; conspiracy to seize power; sabotage; murder of a police officer; use of weapons of mass destruction; and violations of the laws and customs of war96 (see Capital punishment in Belarus)
	Belgium	1863 for common law crimes; 1950 for war crimes	1996 (by Constitution)
	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Never	1995 (by Constitution)
	Bulgaria	1989	1998
	Croatia	197338	1990 (by Constitution)
	Cyprus	1962	2002	Capital punishment for murder abolished in 1983.
	Czech Republic	1989	1990 (by Constitution)	For more info see Capital punishment in the Czech Republic.
	Denmark	1892 for common law crimes; 1950 for war crimes	1930; reinstated 1952-1978	Capital punishment was reinstated 1952-1978 in the civil penalty law for crimes committed under extreme circumstances and related to war or high treason. For more info see Capital punishment in Denmark.
	Estonia	1991	1998
	Finland	1944	1972 (by Constitution)
	France	1977	1981	Forbidden by law in 1981 and by Constitution in 2007.
	Georgia	199538	1997
	Germany	none by authorities of the FRG	1949 (FRG)/1951 (West Berlin)/1987 (GDR)	Last execution in West Germany: 1956 (by US Military Authorities), last execution in East Germany: 1981 (by GDR authorities). Prohibited by the Basic Law since 1949.
	Greece	1972	2004	Already abolished in 1975 for all crimes, except high treason in time of war; abolished completely in 2004
	Hungary	1989	1990
	Iceland	1830	1928	Abolished in 1928; reintroduction made unconstitutional in 1995 by unanimous vote of parliament
	Ireland	1954	1990	21st Amendment to the Constitution (2001) passed by national referendum made reintroduction unconstitutional without a further constitutional amendment (and referendum). Until recently it was still technically lawful to execute the murderer of a police officer; however, in practice this never occurred, likely due to widespread moral objection.
	Italy	1947	1994	Already abolished, except in time of war, in 1948 (by the Constitution). Abolished from the military penal code in 1994. Constitution amended in 2007 to make reintroduction unconstitutional without a further constitutional amendment.
	Kosovo		2008 (by Constitution)97
	Latvia	199638	1999 (for other crimes)	murder with aggravating circumstances if committed during wartime98
	Liechtenstein	1785	1987
	Lithuania	1995	1998
	Luxembourg	1949	1979 (by Constitution)
	Republic of Macedonia	198838	1991 (by Constitution)
	Malta	1943	2000	Capital punishment for murder abolished in 1971; continued to be part of the country's military code until 2000.
	Isle of Man	1872	1993
	Moldova	198538	1995	On September 23, 2005 the Moldovan Constitutional Court approved constitutional amendments that explicitly abolished the death penalty99.
	Monaco	1847	1962 (by Constitution)
	Montenegro	1992	1995
	Netherlands	1952	1982 (by Constitution)	Abolished for peacetime offences in 1870, last execution for peacetime offences 1860
	Norway	1948	1979	Abolished for peacetime offences in 1902, last execution for peacetime offences 1876
	Poland	1988	1997	A criminal law reform including reintroducion of death penalty was proposed in 2004 by Prawo i Sprawiedliwość, but lost in the first reading in the Sejm (vote of 198 against to 194 for with 14 abstentions). It's being said that this was only a populism as Poland was at this time in European Union and because of that this initiative hardly had a chance.21
	Portugal	1849 (last woman in 1763)	1976 (by Constitution)	Abolished for political crimes in 1852 (per Additional Act to the Constitutional Charter); abolished for all crimes except in time of war in 1867; abolished in time of war in 1911.
	Romania	December 25, 1989	199038 (by Constitution)
	Russia	1999		murder with aggravating circumstances; assassination attempt against a state or public figure; attempt on the life of a person administering justice or preliminary investigations; attempt on the life of a law-enforcement officer; genocide100. On 16 April 1997 Russia signed the Sixth Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights, but has yet to ratify it. There has been a moratorium on executions since 1996; no executions in the Russian Federation since August 1996, though one took place in 1999 in the Chechen Republic
	San Marino	1468	1865
	Serbia	1992	1995	Abolished in 1995 on Federal level, local legislation adjusted in 2002101
	Slovakia	1989	1990 (by Constitution)
	Slovenia	1957	1989 (by Constitution)
	Spain	1975, September 27	1995	Abolished in 1978 by constitution except for military laws during wartime.
	Sweden	1910, November 23	1972	Peacetime offences 1921, Wartime offences 1973. Constitutionally prohibited since 1975.
	Switzerland	1944	1874/1938/1992	First abolishment in 1874, later permitted again and practiced by a few states (9 executions until 1940). Definite abolishment by popular vote in 1938, except for wartime military crimes, for which it was eliminated in 1992.