Use of capital punishment by nation
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 |
Legend
Abolished for all crimes Abolished for crimes not committed in exceptional circumstances (such as crimes committed in time of war) Abolished in practice Legal form of punishment
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 robbery[2]; Murder[3]; 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 | Treason[5] | ||
 Burundi |
2000 or later[6] | Murder [7] | ||
 Cameroon |
1997, January[8] | Secession; espionage; incitement to war[9] | ||
 Cape Verde |
1835 | 1981 (by Constitution) | ||
 Central African Republic |
1981 | Treason; espionage; charlatanism; witchcraft; assassination; murder[10] | ||
 Chad |
2003[11] | Murder | ||
 Comoros |
1996 or later[12] | |||
 Democratic Republic of the Congo |
2003[13] | |||
 Congo |
1982 | |||
 Côte d'Ivoire |
None since independence[14] | 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, August[15] | Murder | ||
 Gabon |
1981[16] | |||
 Gambia |
1981 | Treason. Abolished 1993 but was reinstated by Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council in August 1995[17] | ||
 Ghana |
1993 | Murder; Treason; Armed robbery[17] | ||
 Guinea-Bissau |
1986 | 1993 (by Constitution) | ||
 Guinea |
2001[18] | Murder | ||
 Kenya |
1984 | Murder and armed robbery[13] | ||
 Lesotho |
||||
 Liberia |
1995[17] | 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 murder[20] | ||
 Madagascar |
1958 | |||
 Malawi |
1992[21] | |||
 Mali |
1980 | |||
 Mauritania |
1987 | Sodomy[22]; Apostasy[23] (Although apostasy is a capital offense there are no recorded executions for it). | ||
 Mauritius |
1987 | 1995 | ||
 Morocco |
1993 | Terrorism[13]. 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 |
2001[17] | Sodomy[24]. 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 | 2007[25] | ||
 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 | Treason[27]; 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 31[8] | 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 state[29]; Apostasy[23]; Prostitution; Treason; Acts which may endanger the independence or unity of the state; Murder; Armed robbery; Weapons possession and smuggling | ||
 Swaziland |
1983[30] | Murder
[31]; treason |
||
 Tanzania |
1994 | Murder; Treason | ||
 Togo |
1978[32] | 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 |
2003[33] | Treason; Terrorism; Murder[34]; 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, June[36] | 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 8[37] | Murder; child smuggling in order to use the victim's body parts; Apostasy (see Abdul Rahman (convert)) | ||
 Armenia |
1991[38] | 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 prostitution[41] | ||
 Bhutan |
1974[21] | 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 kg[42] | ||
 Cambodia |
1989 (by Constitution) | |||
 China |
2008 | Embezzlement; Rape of children; Fraud; Bombing; People trafficking; Piracy; Theft; Corruption; Arson; Murder; "Endangering national security"; Terrorism[43] (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 14[44] | 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 9[45] | Drug trafficking[46]; Terrorism[47] | ||
 Iran |
2008 | Sodomy; Armed Robbery; Terrorism; Drug trafficking; Kidnapping & rape; Murder; accounts for two-thirds of the global total of child offender executions[1] | ||
 Iraq |
2008 | murder; endangering national security; distributing drugs; rape; attacks on transport convoys; financing and execution of terrorism[48]. Suspended in April 2003 after 2003 invasion; reinstated May 2005. | ||
 Israel |
1962 | 1954 (for other crimes) | Crimes against humanity[49], high treason. Only one execution after 1954 (high-ranking Nazi Adolf Eichmann). | |
 Japan |
2008, June 17[50] | 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 | Murder[52] | ||
 Kazakhstan |
2003[53] | 2007 | Terrorism, crimes in wartime[54]. Moratorium since 17 December 2003 | |
 North Korea |
2008[55] | Plots against national sovereignty; terrorism ; treason against the Motherland by citizens; treason against the people; murder[56] | ||
 South Korea |
1997, December 30[57] | 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 |
2007[60][61] | Kyrgyz authorities had extended a moratorium on executions each year since 1998. | ||
 Laos |
1989 | Drugs trafficking[62] | ||
 Lebanon |
2004 | Murder[63] | ||
 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 |
2006[66] | 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 Negeri[67] | ||
 Maldives |
1952 | Murder[68] | ||
 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 Robbery[69]. According to Amnesty International, executions were carried out in secret and there are no official statistics[70] | |||
 Burma |
1993 | High treason[71] | ||
 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic |
Never | de facto moratorium on executions since 1997 | ||
 Nepal |
1979 | 1997 (by Constitution) | ||
 Oman |
2001[72] | Murder; Drug trafficking[73] | ||
 Pakistan |
2008 | Murder; Sodomy[74]; Gang rape; Mutiny (see Capital punishment in Pakistan) | ||
 Palestinian Authority |
2005[75] | Murder; Rape; Collaborating with Israeli forces to assassinate Palestinians[76]. 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 | Espionage[77]; Threat to national security[78]; Apostasy[23]. Although apostasy is a capital offense there are no recorded executions for it | ||
 Saudi Arabia |
2008[79] | 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 cannabis[81] (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 2004[citation 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; genocide[82]. 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 |
2002[83] | Murder; Drug offences[84]; homosexuality[85][86]; Rape; Treason; Aggravated robbery; Apostasy; Environmental pollution; Terrorism | ||
 Uzbekistan |
2005[87] | 2008 | President Islom Karimov signed a decree on 1 August 2005 that replaced the death penalty with life imprisonment on 1 January 2008[88][89] | |
 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; fraud[90] | ||
 Yemen |
2008 | Murder [91]; Adultery[92]; homosexuality[85][93]; Apostasy[23]. 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 |
1995[38] | 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, February[95] | 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 war[96] (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 |
1973[38] | 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 |
1995[38] | 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 |
1996[38] | 1999 (for other crimes) | murder with aggravating circumstances if committed during wartime[98] | |
 Liechtenstein |
1785 | 1987 | ||
 Lithuania |
1995 | 1998 | ||
 Luxembourg |
1949 | 1979 (by Constitution) | ||
 Republic of Macedonia |
1988[38] | 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 |
1985[38] | 1995 | On September 23, 2005 the Moldovan Constitutional Court approved constitutional amendments that explicitly abolished the death penalty[99]. | |
 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 | 1990[38] (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; genocide[100]. 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 2002[101] | |
 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. | |
 Transnistria |
never | murder; attempt to murder a state or public official; armed rebellion; attempt to murder a magistrate or investigator; attempt to murder a law enforcement agent; genocide. Moratorium since January 1, 1999 | ||
 Turkey |
1984, October 25 | 2004, July 21 (by Constitution) | ||
 Northern Cyprus |
Never | Treason during wartime, acts of terrorism and piracy jure gentium (by the law of nations), and for repeated murders[102] | ||
 Ukraine |
1997, March[103] | 2000 | Abolished February 2000 after the Ukrainian Constitutional Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional in December 1999. New criminal code passed in April 2001. | |
 United Kingdom |
1964, August 13 | 1998 | Abolished for murder in 1969 (the punishment being officially suspended for five years in 1965) in Great Britain and 1973 in Northern Ireland. Abolished for arson in royal dockyards in 1971. Abolished for all remaining offences (high treason, piracy with violence and offences under military jurisdiction) in 1998. European Convention ratified in 2003 confirming total abolition. See Capital punishment in the United Kingdom | |
 Vatican City |
1870, July 9 (Papal States[104]) | 1969 |
North America and Caribbean
Executions in 2007: United States (42)[105]
| Key | Country | Last Execution | Abolished | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Antigua and Barbuda |
1991, February 2 | Murder | ||
 Bahamas |
2000, January 6 | Treason; Piracy; Murder | ||
 Barbados |
1984, October 10[8] | Murder; Treason | ||
 Belize |
1985, June [8] | murder, except where extenuating circumstances can be proved[106] | ||
 Bermuda |
1977 | 2000 | ||
 Canada |
1962, December 11 | 1976[107] | For more information see Capital punishment in Canada | |
 Costa Rica |
1859[108] | 1877 (by Constitution) | ||
 Cuba |
2003 | Commuted most to prison terms of 30 years to life[109] | ||