Germany
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 · The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949)...
- News items in the archive
- 120
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Germany 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 120 news items on Germany, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- APRIL 25, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Germany was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the...
Germany was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 25, 2001
- APRIL 6, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
German Socialist Deputy Ozan Ceyhun, of Turkish origin,...
German Socialist Deputy Ozan Ceyhun, of Turkish origin, said the National Program was a positive step for Turkey's EU membership since the Turkish government had made self criticism on many issues for the first time with this program
- MARCH 24, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Approximately 300 neo-nazi protesters rallied in favour...
Approximately 300 neo-nazi protesters rallied in favour of the re-introduction of capital punishment for paedophiles and child murderers
- JANUARY 1, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany at Art
The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany at Art
- DECEMBER 14, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The Greens' human rights expert, Claudia Roth, said...
The Greens' human rights expert, Claudia Roth, said the election of George W
- DECEMBER 7, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The Bundestag, called for the United States to abolish...
The Bundestag, called for the United States to abolish the death penalty, defining the practice as "inhuman" and "scarcely efficient"
- NOVEMBER 16, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The Social Democrat parliamentary floor leader Peter...
The Social Democrat parliamentary floor leader Peter Struck and the parliamentary leaders of the Greens coalition partners, Kerstin Mueller and Rezzo Schlauch, called on Texas Governor George W
- NOVEMBER 14, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The United States admitted it had violated international...
The United States admitted it had violated international law in the case of two Germans executed in Arizona but rejected German demands to the World Court for reparations
- NOVEMBER 13, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Foreigners in the US run the risk of being jailed or...
Foreigners in the US run the risk of being jailed or even executed without help from home unless the International Court of Justice forces the country to respect international law, Germany said in its opening argument at the UN's highest court at The Hagu
- OCTOBER 26, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
In a Bundestag debate regarding the 50th anniversary...
In a Bundestag debate regarding the 50th anniversary of the signing of the European Human Rights Convention, Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer of the Alliance 90/Greens urged further efforts to implement human rights
- JULY 18, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Germany protested the death sentence given to four...
Germany protested the death sentence given to four Chinese men for the murder of Jurgen Pfrang, a German executive with Daimler-Benz AG, his wife and their two children at their villa in Nanjing in April 2000
- JULY 10, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Thousands of Iranians demonstrated in Berlin against...
Thousands of Iranians demonstrated in Berlin against a visit by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
- JUNE 30, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
About 70 people demonstrated against human rights violations...
About 70 people demonstrated against human rights violations in China in front of the Chinese embassy in Berlin, coinciding with Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji's visit to Germany
- JUNE 24, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Over 20,000 Kurds demonstrated in Duesseldorf for the...
Over 20,000 Kurds demonstrated in Duesseldorf for the release of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan
- MAY 17, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Feleknas Uca, the German Democratic Socialist Party...
Feleknas Uca, the German Democratic Socialist Party (PDS) deputy congratulated President Sezer on his election in a written statement
- APRIL 26, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Germany cosponsored and voted in favour of the resolution...
Germany cosponsored and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 26 (no
- APRIL 7, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
President Johannes Rau said that the European Union...
President Johannes Rau said that the European Union (EU) constituted a great perspective for Turkey, adding, "The EU is not only a markets union, first of all it is a union of values
- MARCH 7, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer met for talks with...
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer met for talks with his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi and with Khatami
- FEBRUARY 15, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer met with Turkish Foreign...
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer met with Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem to discuss Turkey's EU candidacy
- FEBRUARY 11, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen said he expected...
The EU Commissioner Guenter Verheugen said he expected Turkey to abolish the death penalty during the European Court of Human Rights hearing that was to hear the complaint from Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) chief, Abdullah Ocalan
- JANUARY 21, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
German businessman Helmut Hofer returned home from...
German businessman Helmut Hofer returned home from Iran, where he spent two years on death row for having illicit sex with a Moslem woman
- JANUARY 13, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The Turkish government's decision to suspend the execution...
The Turkish government's decision to suspend the execution of Abdullah Ocalan was seen as a positive sign by the German government
- JANUARY 1, 2000GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949)...
The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949) at Art
- SEPTEMBER 14, 1999GermanyDEATH PENALTY
On September 14, Germany said it would sue the United...
On September 14, Germany said it would sue the United States in the World Court in The Hague for violating international laws and treaties by executing the LaGrand brothers
- JUNE 25, 1999GermanyDEATH PENALTY
On June 25, the German Presidency of the European Union...
On June 25, the German Presidency of the European Union stressed the fact that at least 7 people had been put to death in Cuba since the beginning of the year
- JUNE 23, 1999GermanyDEATH PENALTY
On June 23, Interior Minister Otto Schily (SPD), said...
On June 23, Interior Minister Otto Schily (SPD), said that if Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan's death sentence were carried out it would make Turkey's joining the European Union more problematical
- APRIL 28, 1999GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Germany, as President of the European Union, presented...
Germany, as President of the European Union, presented the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 28 (1999/61)
- MARCH 23, 1999GermanyDEATH PENALTY
On March 23, Germany introduced the question of the...
On March 23, Germany introduced the question of the death penalty at the Commission on Human Rights and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer declared in his inaugural speech: "Europeans believe that the death penalty can not be justified either ethically or l
- JANUARY 1, 1999GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949)...
The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949) at Art
- JANUARY 1, 1999GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Arizona executed two German citizens, Karl and Walter...
Arizona executed two German citizens, Karl and Walter LaGrand, Karl on February 24 and Walter on March 3, for killing a bank manager in Arizona in 1982