Capital crimes are: aggravated murder, arson, rape, hijacking, espionage, drug trafficking, political and military offences.

Capital crimes are: aggravated murder, arson, rape, hijacking, espionage, drug trafficking, political and military offences.
All capital executions must first be approved by the Mufti, the country's highest religious authority. The final decision goes to the President of the Republic who, by law, has the power to grant a pardon or commute a sentence.
State of emergency laws - imposed in 1981 Islamic extremists assassinated President Anwar Sadat - allow the government to try militants in a military court without the right of appeal. Since 1981 thousands of militants have been arrested and scores put to death.
In 1999 the Government abolished an article of the Penal Code that permitted a rapist to be absolved of criminal charges if he married his victim. However, marital rape is not illegal.
In June 2003, Egypt outlawed forced labour as a form of punishment.
There is very little official data available on death sentences and executions in Egypt. Between November 2001 and November 2002, 58 death sentences were passed and 19 people condemned of ordinary crimes including murder, rape and drug trafficking were executed according to Human Rights Watch 2003 report.
Between 1996 and 2001 at least 382 people were sentenced to death in Egypt; an average of 76 people each year, according to Amnesty International. Over the same period at least 114 executions were reported.
At least 17 executions were carried out in 2002, according to Amnesty, which also said executions took place in 2003.
Human rights organizations and the press reported that at least 8 persons died in custody at police stations or prisons in 2003. The execution of six people, members of the same family, was reported in 2004.