Australia
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Australia abolished the death penalty for ordinary...
- News items in the archive
- 297
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Australia is classified as Abolitionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 297 news items on Australia, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
APRIL 16, 2024AustraliaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Binding Assurances that Julian Assange Will Not Face the Death Penalty
- FEBRUARY 1, 2021AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA WON’T EXTRADITE S’PORE-BORN MURDER SUSPECT IF DEATH PENALTY AWAITS HIM
A man born in Singapore wanted in relation to a murder case nearly four decades ago is in jail in Australia, but the country’s Attorney-General’s Department has said he cannot be extradited if he faces the death penalty.
- JUNE 16, 2020ChinaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA VOICES CONCERN OVER MAN SENTENCED TO DIE IN CHINA
Australia’s prime minister said on 16 June 2020 that his government is “very sad and concerned” by China’s sentencing of an Australian man to death for drug trafficking.
JUNE 14, 2020ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: AUSTRALIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
An Australian man on 10 June 2020 was sentenced to death in China on drug charges, federal government said, a development that could further escalate tensions between the two countries.
- JANUARY 1, 2020AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
- JANUARY 24, 2019AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA WON’T EXTRADITE SIRUL UNLESS DEATH PENALTY ABOLISHED, SAYS LAWYER
Australia will not extradite convicted murderer and former police officer Sirul Azhar Umar unless the death penalty is abolished in Malaysia, said lawyer Ramkarpal Singh on 22 January 2019.
- JANUARY 1, 2019AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
- JANUARY 1, 2018AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
- JANUARY 1, 2017AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
- JANUARY 1, 2016AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
APRIL 2, 2015ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: AUSTRALIAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
A Queensland man has been sentenced to death in China after being caught trying to smuggle methamphetamine to Australia.
- JANUARY 1, 2015AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
JUNE 27, 2014AustraliaDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: AUSTRALIAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HEROIN POSSESSION
State-controlled media say a court in southern Vietnam has sentenced an Australian citizen to death for
- JANUARY 1, 2014AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
- JANUARY 1, 2013AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
- DECEMBER 28, 2012AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
the two Australians on death row in Indonesia appear to have received a one-year reprieve
the two Australians on death row in Indonesia appear to have received a one-year reprieve
NOVEMBER 9, 2012AustraliaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: AUSTRALIAN NURSE FREED FROM DEATH ROW
The lawyer for Australian nurse Emma Louise L'Aiguille accused of drug trafficking in Malaysia
- JANUARY 1, 2012AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
JULY 7, 2011AustraliaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: BALI NINE RINGLEADER LOSES DEATH APPEAL
An Australian drug smuggler sentenced to death in Indonesia, one of the "Bali Nine" gang
- MAY 11, 2011AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA DROPS DEATH SENTENCE FOR AUSTRALIAN DRUG SMUGGLER
Indonesia's Supreme Court overturned the death sentence for convicted Australian heroin smuggler Scott Anthony Rush, 25, giving him life imprisonment instead.
- JANUARY 6, 2011AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIAN ESCAPES EXECUTION IN AFGHANISTAN
a former Australian soldier convicted of murder in Afghanistan had his January 2009 death sentence commuted to a 20-year jail term.
- JANUARY 1, 2011AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2010AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIANS APPEAL DEATH SENTENCES IN INDONESIA
Australians Andrew Chan, 26, and Myuran Sukumaran, 29, appealed their death sentences at the Denpasar district court in Indonesia.
- MARCH 11, 2010AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA BANS DEATH PENALTY
the Australian Federal Parliament passed laws that permanently abolished the death penalty in any state or territory in Australia.
- JANUARY 27, 2010AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER SENTENCED TO HANG IN AFGHANISTAN
a former Australian soldier was sentenced to death in Afghanistan for shooting dead an Afghan colleague after a violent argument.
- JANUARY 1, 2010AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
- DECEMBER 18, 2009AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA: NEW RULES FOR AFP IN DEATH PENALTY CASES
the Australian Government released new guidelines to govern the release of police information to countries which may apply for the death penalty.
- NOVEMBER 19, 2009AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA: GOVT ENSURING DEATH PENALTY GONE FOREVER
Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland told parliament he was introducing legislation that would ensure that the death penalty could not be reintroduced.
- APRIL 17, 2009AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA: COUNTRIES URGED TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the Commonwealth Lawyers Association of Australia wants the death sentence abolished in areas that still use it.
- JANUARY 1, 2009AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.
The death penalty was formally abolished in Australia in 1985.