Sweden
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 country has been abolitionist since 1972 and the...
- News items in the archive
- 72
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Sweden 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 72 news items on Sweden, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- APRIL 11, 2013MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
a Swedish bar operator was sentenced to death
a Swedish bar operator was sentenced to death
- JANUARY 1, 2013SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- JANUARY 1, 2012SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2011SwedenDEATH PENALTY
SWEDE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN THAILAND
Kim Eriksson Sirawan, a 30 year-old Swedish citizen living in Thailand, was sentenced to death in Thailand for possessing and manufacturing methamphetamine at his home in Bangkok in July 2010.
- JANUARY 1, 2011SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- JANUARY 1, 2010SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- JANUARY 1, 2009SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- JANUARY 1, 2008SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- DECEMBER 18, 2007SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden voted in favour of the Resolution...
Sweden voted in favour of the Resolution...
- JANUARY 1, 2007SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- JANUARY 1, 2006SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- JULY 31, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
HOLLAND-SWEDEN. GAY EXTRADITIONS TO IRAN BLOCKED
the Netherlands has become the second country to halt extraditions of gays to Iran in the wake of reports two gay teens were hanged after being found found "guilty of homosexuality".
- JULY 23, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. NOBEL LAUREATE SLAMS TEEN HANGINGS
Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi condemned the hanging of two teenagers accused of raping younger boys in north-eastern Iran, a punishment that also prompted protests by the international community and rights groups.
- APRIL 20, 2005SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
Sweden was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
- JANUARY 1, 2005SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- APRIL 21, 2004SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution...
Sweden was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty at the 60th UN Commission on Human Rights
- APRIL 8, 2004SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972.
- FEBRUARY 4, 2004SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden's Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds told Swedish...
Sweden's Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds told Swedish Radio that Vietnam would try to abolish the death penalty within 10 years but had problems convincing the public that capital punishment was not needed
- APRIL 24, 2003SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution...
Sweden was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights, in Geneva
- MARCH 5, 2003SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh blasted the Israeli...
Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh blasted the Israeli army's "extrajudiciary executions" of Palestinians, saying Israel's method of fighting terrorism was "entirely reprehensible"
- JANUARY 1, 2003SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden has signed but not yet ratified Protocol No...
Sweden has signed but not yet ratified Protocol No 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms banning the death penalty in all circumstances
- JANUARY 1, 2003SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes...
Sweden abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes in 1921 and has been abolitionist for all crimes since 1972
- JANUARY 1, 2003SwedenDEATH PENALTY
The last execution was conducted in 1910
The last execution was conducted in 1910
- NOVEMBER 6, 2002SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Hands Off Cain's online moratorium campaign moves to...
Hands Off Cain's online moratorium campaign moves to Sweden today with the fourth national launch of the online appeal to the United Nations to approve a resolution for a worldwide moratorium on executions
- OCTOBER 9, 2002SwedenDEATH PENALTY
During a press conference attended by Deputy Chair...
During a press conference attended by Deputy Chair of the EU Praliament, Renzo Imbeni, Hands Off Cain called on Miss World participants to attend the beauty contest due to be held in Nigeria in December and spotlight Amina Lawal's plight by taking a stand
- MAY 3, 2002SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden signed Protocol 13 to the European Convention...
Sweden signed Protocol 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights, which ensures the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances
- APRIL 25, 2002SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden was a cosponsor and voted for the resolution...
Sweden was a cosponsor and voted for the resolution 2002/77 on the death penalty at the 58th UN Commission on Human Rights
- APRIL 3, 2002SwedenDEATH PENALTY
A Kurdish immigrant was jailed for life for the "execution-style"...
A Kurdish immigrant was jailed for life for the "execution-style" murder of his daughter in a case that has called into question Sweden's ability to integrate immigrants into its liberal society
- JANUARY 1, 2002SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment in 1921
Sweden abolished capital punishment in 1921
- OCTOBER 12, 2001SwedenDEATH PENALTY
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the...
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the organization he leads were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their role in reforming the 56-year-old institution and reshaping the world's post-Cold War pursuit for peace