France
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 · France has been abolitionist since 1981
- News items in the archive
- 161
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
France 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 161 news items on France, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- JANUARY 1, 2010FranceDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9...
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9...
- DECEMBER 1, 2009FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE: TEHRAN- STOP GAY EXECUTIONS
France launched a strong appeal to Iran to immediately stop the imminent execution of Iranians sentenced to
- JANUARY 1, 2009FranceDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9...
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9...
- APRIL 24, 2008ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. EXTRADITION TREATIES WITH AUSTRALIA, FRANCE SET
China's top legislature approved extradition treaties with Australia and France. The treaty
- JANUARY 1, 2008FranceDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9...
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007FranceDEATH PENALTY
France voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
France voted in favour of the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- OCTOBER 10, 2007FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE RATIFIES EUROPEAN RIGHTS CONVENTION PROTOCOL TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
France formally agreed to abolish the death penalty in all circumstances when it ratified a provision of
- MARCH 20, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE, CHINA SIGN EXTRADITION TREATY
France's justice minister said an extradition treaty signed with China would not be applied to people accused of political or military crimes.
- FEBRUARY 19, 2007FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. BANNING OF DEATH PENALTY WRITTEN INTO CONSTITUTION
Senators and lower house lawmakers wrote the banning of the death penalty into the French Constitution.
- JANUARY 30, 2007FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. DEATH PENALTY SOON REMOVED FROM CONSITUTION
The French National Assembly unanimously decided to remove the death penalty from the French Consitution. ‘Noone can be sentenced to death,’ states the only article of the Consitutional Law Bill that modifies the VIII title of the Fundamental Charter.
- JANUARY 4, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
ROW ERUPTS OVER FRANCE-CHINA EXTRADITION TREATY
rights groups raised a chorus of alarm over French plans to sign an extradition treaty with China, despite the Asian giant's dismal record on prisoners' rights and widespread use of the death penalty.
- JANUARY 1, 2007FranceDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9...
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9...
- MAY 3, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
UNITED STATES. JURY REJECTS DEATH PENALTY FOR MOUSSAOUI
a divided jury spared the life of Zacarias Moussaoui, deciding to send to jail for the rest of his life the only man tried on US soil for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
- APRIL 8, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
USA. MOTHER OF SEPTEMBER 11 VICTIM OPPOSES DEATH PENALTY FOR MOUSSAOUI
Alice Hoagland's son, Mark Bingham was killed on September 11 as he joined with fellow United Airlines passengers to ground a plane that may have been headed toward the White House.
- APRIL 4, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
COUNCIL OF EUROPE. EUROPE SLAMS RULING FOR MOUSSAOUI'S EXECUTION
COUNCIL OF EUROPE. EUROPE SLAMS RULING FOR MOUSSAOUI'S EXECUTION April 4 2006: the Council of Europe slammed the decision to make would-be Al-Qaeda suicide pilot Zacarias Moussaoui eligible for execution in the United States, calling it "as sad as it was
- APRIL 4, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. MOUSSAOUI'S MOTHER: LIFE TERM WORSE THAN DEATH
the mother of Zacarias Moussaoui, who had been ruled eligible for the death penalty, said a life sentence would be as bad as execution.
- APRIL 3, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
UNITED STATES. MOUSSAOUI MAY BE EXECUTED FOR 9/11 CRIMES
a US jury found Zacarias Moussaoui eligible for the death penalty, and the convicted Sept. 11 conspirator shouted as he was led out of the court: "You'll never get my blood. God curse you all."
- MARCH 15, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. ACTRESS BARDOT URGES BUSH TO PREVENT EXECUTION OF PRISONER ON TEXAS DEATH ROW
French film legend Brigitte Bardot wrote to US President George W. Bush urging him to prevent the execution of a prisoner on death row in Texas.
- MARCH 15, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
UNITED STATES. US MULLS ENDING QUEST FOR MOUSSAOUI DEATH PENALTY
prosecutors pondered on whether to abandon their quest for the death penalty in the US government's only case connected to the September 11 hijackings, after a federal judge banned crucial testimony. Shortly after US District Judge Leonie Brinkema deliver
- MARCH 6, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
UNITED STATES. DEATH PENALTY CALL FOR MAN WHO 'COULD HAVE STOPPED 9/11'
lawyers for the US government demanded the death penalty in the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui who they said could have chosen to prevent the September 11 attacks.
- MARCH 3, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. FRANCE OBTAINS U.S. GUARANTEES ON MOUSSAOUI TRIAL - MINISTER
the French justice minister reiterated the US had guaranteed France none of the information it provided for the US case against al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui would be used to seek the death penalty.
- FEBRUARY 24, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. AUTHORITIES REFUSES TO EXTRADITE SYRIAN OVER HARIRI MURDER
French legal authorities refused to extradite to Lebanon an ex-Syrian intelligence officer to answer questions about the murder of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq el-Hariri.
- FEBRUARY 5, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
UNITED STATES. JURY SELECTION BEGINS FOR MOUSSAOUI TRIAL
Zacarias Moussaoui returns this week to the courtroom where a jury will determine whether he should be executed for his crimes.
- JANUARY 25, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. INMATES REQUEST DEATH OVER LIFE
ten inmates in France’s Clairvaux prison, one of the harshest prisons in the country, asked for “the reintroduction of the death penalty” for themselves in a letter sent to the France Presse.
- JANUARY 4, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
the President of France’s communist party, Nicole Borvo...
the President of France’s communist party, Nicole Borvo, welcomed as a “positive step by France” the decision taken by President Chirac to review the constitution in order to include the abolition of the death penalty “under all circumstances”.
- JANUARY 1, 2006FranceDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9, 1981, mainly through the efforts of then Socialist Justice Minister, Robert Badinter.
The death penalty was abolished in France on September 9, 1981, mainly through the efforts of then Socialist Justice Minister, Robert Badinter.
- AUGUST 11, 2005FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. PARIS PROTEST OVER IRANIAN HANGING OF TWO GAY TEENAGERS
some 150 protestors rallied in central Paris to condemn the July 19 execution of two teenagers who were sentenced to public hanging in Iran because they were gay, event organizers said. Gathered in front of the Pompidou Centre, demonstrators chanted "Iran
- APRIL 24, 2005FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. FAMILY HOPE MOUSSAOUI CAN AVOID DEATH PENALTY
Francois Roux, a French lawyer advising the family of Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person charged in the United States over the September 11 attacks, said his family still hoped he would avoid the death penalty. Roux said that although Moussaoui had plead
- APRIL 22, 2005FranceDEATH PENALTY
VIRGINIA, USA. 9/11 SUSPECT FACES DEATH PENALTY AFTER PLEADING GUILTY
Zacarias Moussaoui, the man who investigators believed could have unraveled the al-Qaida plot before the September 11 2001 attacks, pleaded guilty to terrorism and other charges carrying the death penalty.
- APRIL 20, 2005FranceDEATH PENALTY
France was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
France was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.