United Kingdom
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 provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 abolished...
- News items in the archive
- 423
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
United Kingdom 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 423 news items on United Kingdom, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- FEBRUARY 2, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Children growing up in Yorkshire's violent streets...
Children growing up in Yorkshire's violent streets described feeling frightened, trapped and unsafe
- JANUARY 22, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The UK Government is to ask America to ensure British...
The UK Government is to ask America to ensure British al Qaida suspects held in Cuba will not face the death penalty if tried in the US, Junior Foreign Office Minister Ben Bradshaw told MPs
- JANUARY 17, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Shoe bomber Richard Reid is facing the death penalty...
Shoe bomber Richard Reid is facing the death penalty in America after it emerged he will be accused of further charges
- JANUARY 17, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
A British hairdresser could face the death penalty...
A British hairdresser could face the death penalty after being charged with drug dealing in the United Arab Emirates
- JANUARY 17, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Shoe bomber Richard Reid is facing the death penalty...
Shoe bomber Richard Reid is facing the death penalty in America after it emerged he will be accused of further charges
- JANUARY 16, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The growing diplomatic row over the al-Qaeda prisoners...
The growing diplomatic row over the al-Qaeda prisoners being held in Cuba intensified as the United Nations demanded that the detainees' human rights were respected
- JANUARY 16, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The growing diplomatic row over the al-Qaeda prisoners...
The growing diplomatic row over the al-Qaeda prisoners being held in Cuba intensified as the United Nations demanded that the detainees' human rights were respected
- JANUARY 15, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
UK Home Secretary Jack Straw warned US authorities...
UK Home Secretary Jack Straw warned US authorities not to execute British citizens suspected of fighting for Osama bin Laden
- JANUARY 15, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Geoff Hoon, the defence secretary, said the transfer...
Geoff Hoon, the defence secretary, said the transfer of British nationals suspected of fighting with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda forces in Afghanistan to Cuba was legal but they had to be treated "with proper respect for international law
- JANUARY 14, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Three British al-Qaeda fighters are facing the death penalty
Three British al-Qaeda fighters are facing the death penalty
- JANUARY 1, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for murder was abolished in Britain...
The death penalty for murder was abolished in Britain on December 18, 1969
- JANUARY 1, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The abolition of the death penalty begun in 1965 when...
The abolition of the death penalty begun in 1965 when hanging stopped being the punishment for murder
- JANUARY 1, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
There were 865 executions in Britain between 1900 and...
There were 865 executions in Britain between 1900 and 1964, the date of the last execution
- JANUARY 1, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The last vote for the reintroduction of capital punishment...
The last vote for the reintroduction of capital punishment was defeated in the House of Commons by 403 votes to 159 - a majority of 244
- DECEMBER 24, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram, said:...
The shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram, said: " I look at every issue on its merit, and on capital punishment I voted for it in two very clear categories: indiscriminate terrorism where the bomber doesn't care whom he is killing, and I think that's a
- DECEMBER 18, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Staff and students at a Birmingham university are to...
Staff and students at a Birmingham university are to help carry out a major study of death penalty practices across America following a cash boost from the British Government
- DECEMBER 18, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Staff and students at a Birmingham university are to...
Staff and students at a Birmingham university are to help carry out a major study of death penalty practices across America following a cash boost from the British Government
- DECEMBER 15, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The uncle of murdered Turkish asylum seeker Firsat...
The uncle of murdered Turkish asylum seeker Firsat Dag called for the return of capital punishment, after the High Court in Glasgow condemned Scott Burrell to a minimum of 14 years
- DECEMBER 15, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
A poll published in the Sunday People newspaper found...
A poll published in the Sunday People newspaper found that four out of five Britons want child sex offenders jailed indefinitely
- DECEMBER 13, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
New powers to investigate and detain foreign terrorist...
New powers to investigate and detain foreign terrorist suspects were approved by Parliament
- DECEMBER 12, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The United States refused to rule out executing terror...
The United States refused to rule out executing terror warlord Osama bin Laden if he is captured alive
- DECEMBER 11, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
A Sheffield legal team began frantic attempt to halt...
A Sheffield legal team began frantic attempt to halt a deportation order against an illegal immigrant who claims he could face execution in his African homeland
- DECEMBER 9, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Osama bin Laden would be handed to the Americans if...
Osama bin Laden would be handed to the Americans if he was captured alive in Afghanistan, Downing Street revealed
- DECEMBER 7, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Nine men who lived in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan...
Nine men who lived in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan have been convicted at the Old Bailey [London's main criminal court] of hijacking a jet and flying it to Stansted airport
- DECEMBER 6, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Indian suspect Mohammed Afroz, 28, revealed that Al-Qaeda...
Indian suspect Mohammed Afroz, 28, revealed that Al-Qaeda [Osama Bin Laden's organisation] terrorists were planning to crash hijacked jets into the UK Parliament and Tower Bridge
- DECEMBER 4, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Walter Schwimmer, Secretary-General of the Council...
Walter Schwimmer, Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, on initiatives to enhance police and judicial co-operation in the fight against terrorism:"The attacks of September 11 made the fight against terrorism a fundamental political priority for gove
- NOVEMBER 19, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
David Blunkett, the UK home secretary, came under fire...
David Blunkett, the UK home secretary, came under fire from backbench MPs who voiced opposition to his controversial anti-terrorist legislation, which proposes to detain terrorist suspects without trial
- NOVEMBER 16, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
If Osama bin Laden was held in Britain he would not...
If Osama bin Laden was held in Britain he would not be extradited to any country where he could face the death penalty, the government confirmed
- NOVEMBER 11, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Home Secretary, David Blunkett brushed aside criticism...
Home Secretary, David Blunkett brushed aside criticism from "airy-fairy" civil rights groups as he prepared to seek approval for unprecedented new powers to allow the internment without trial of suspected terrorists
- NOVEMBER 5, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
A man who tortured a hotel worker to death in Cornwall...
A man who tortured a hotel worker to death in Cornwall was jailed for life