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
- APRIL 25, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
United Kingdom it was a cosponsor and voted in favour...
United Kingdom it 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 3, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Slobodan Milosevic, "the great enemy of the Serb people",...
Slobodan Milosevic, "the great enemy of the Serb people", must face a war crimes trial in The Hague, Robin Cook, the British Foreign Secretary, said
- MARCH 21, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Conservative Party leader William Hague says that he...
Conservative Party leader William Hague says that he still supports the death sentence
- MARCH 19, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The House of Lords refused leave for the Indian government...
The House of Lords refused leave for the Indian government to appeal against a High Court refusal to extradite Nadeem Akhtar Saifi, a top Indian movie music director, who could face execution if returned to his homeland and ultimately convicted
- MARCH 9, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Out of 40 Conservative candidates for the next general...
Out of 40 Conservative candidates for the next general elections interviewed by 'The Times' daily newspaper, 21 said the Courts should have the option of applying the death penalty, whilst 19 were against
- MARCH 2, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Foreign Secretary Robin Cook ordered an urgent review...
Foreign Secretary Robin Cook ordered an urgent review of all cases of Britons facing the death penalty in foreign jails and has strengthened government policy so diplomats and ministers can intervene early in cases in an effort to prevent executions
- FEBRUARY 18, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Prince Charles pleaded with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince...
Prince Charles pleaded with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz for the lives of three Britons who face being beheaded in Saudi Arabia, after Arab Ministers vowed to carry out their executions
- FEBRUARY 14, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Tory Right-wingers will force a free Commons vote on...
Tory Right-wingers will force a free Commons vote on bringing back the death penalty in the wake of a Conservative election victory as soon as MP William Hague has enacted his plan for "English votes on English laws"
- FEBRUARY 13, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
A palace spokesman insisted the visit of Prince Charles...
A palace spokesman insisted the visit of Prince Charles in Saudi Arabia this week will not be political
- FEBRUARY 12, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The father of murdered British bar hostess Lucie Blackman,...
The father of murdered British bar hostess Lucie Blackman, whose dismembered remains were found on January 9 at the seaside town of Miura by Japanese police, said her killer should face the death penalty
- FEBRUARY 9, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Justin Rodway, son of Briton Christopher Rodway killed...
Justin Rodway, son of Briton Christopher Rodway killed in Riyadh, said he was not an advocate of capital punishment but had been forced to rethink his views following the death of his father
- FEBRUARY 5, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Jerry Rodway, Christopher Rodway's, father, a British...
Jerry Rodway, Christopher Rodway's, father, a British man killed in a car bomb attack in Saudi Arabia said his son's killers should die
- JANUARY 31, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The Foreign Affairs Select Committee of MPs accused...
The Foreign Affairs Select Committee of MPs accused the Government of being reluctant to confront or impose restrictions on countries guilty of human rights abuses
- JANUARY 30, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Mohammed Lodhi, 43, a businessman Pakistani national,...
Mohammed Lodhi, 43, a businessman Pakistani national, is fighting extradition to the United Arab Emirates where he faces a death sentence, possibly by crucifixion, if extradited
- JANUARY 24, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
British Foreign Office Minister Keith Vaz, told Members...
British Foreign Office Minister Keith Vaz, told Members of Parliament that Turkey should not be allowed to join the European Union without huge improvements in its human rights record
- JANUARY 1, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
It was reported that more than 2,500 Britons were starting...
It was reported that more than 2,500 Britons were starting the new year languishing in foreign jails
- JANUARY 1, 2001United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for murder was abolished in Britain...
The death penalty for murder was abolished in Britain on December 18, 1969
- OCTOBER 2, 2000United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for murder was abolished in Britain...
The death penalty for murder was abolished in Britain on December 18, 1969
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2000United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Foreign Minister Robin Cook stated the Government's...
Foreign Minister Robin Cook stated the Government's plans to appoint a special envoy on the death penalty as part of a worldwide campaign to abolish capital punishment
- JULY 20, 2000United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
ITV's Teletext service conducted its own phone-in poll...
ITV's Teletext service conducted its own phone-in poll on whether the murderers of children should be hanged
- JULY 3, 2000United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
David Anthony Chell, was found guilty at the Malaysian...
David Anthony Chell, was found guilty at the Malaysian High Court of smuggling 665 grams of heroin into the Asian country and subsequently sentenced to death by hanging
- JUNE 10, 2000United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
William Hague, the leader of the opposition said in...
William Hague, the leader of the opposition said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that he backed capital punishment, although he recognised that it was unlikely to be restored
- APRIL 27, 2000United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
Foreign Office Minister Peter Hain welcomed the adoption...
Foreign Office Minister Peter Hain welcomed the adoption of the European Union's resolution on the death penalty at the Commission on Human Rights
- APRIL 26, 2000United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
United Kingdom cosponsored and voted in favour of the...
United Kingdom cosponsored and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 26 (no
- DECEMBER 10, 1999United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
On December 10, Britain ratified the Second Optional...
On December 10, Britain ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
- JUNE 29, 1999United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
On June 29, apropos of the death sentence awarded to...
On June 29, apropos of the death sentence awarded to Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan, the Blair Government said that the sentence was a question that concerned the Turkish authorities, but that the Government and the European Union would continue to insist un
- MAY 1, 1999United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
In May, The UK ratified Protocol No
In May, The UK ratified Protocol No
- APRIL 28, 1999United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
United Kingdom was a cosponsor and voted in favor of...
United Kingdom was a cosponsor and voted in favor of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 28, 1999 (1999/61)
- APRIL 12, 1999United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
On April 12, Home Secretary Jack Straw said that the...
On April 12, Home Secretary Jack Straw said that the conviction of Derek Bentley, who was found guilty of murder and hanged in 1953, was overturned on the basis of mistakes by the trial judge and for this reason his case fell outside the compensation sche
- MARCH 31, 1999United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
On March 31, UK representative Mr Fatchett reiterated...
On March 31, UK representative Mr Fatchett reiterated at the UN Commission on Human Rights the United Kingdom's full support for the statement made on behalf of the European Union by Joschka Fischer