Murder, treason, espionage, coup d'état and insurrection are crimes punishable by death.

Murder, treason, espionage, coup d'état and insurrection are crimes punishable by death. 
The death penalty was applied for the first time in Gabon on June 21, 1974 after the Libreville Criminal Court found a Gabonese citizen guilty of two murders.
The last execution took place in 1985 (Panafrican News Agency). The last death sentence was passed in 1988.
Gabon abstained on the resolution on the death  penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 20, 2005. On May 3, 2007, the Government of Gabon decided to undersign the “Declaration of Association” against the death penalty presented to the United Nations by the European Union on December 19, 2006. At the end of the Council of Ministers, held in Libreville for the specific decision, the Government declared in a press release: “in response to the appeal of the European Union to institute a moratorium on the application of the death penalty, the Council of Ministers has decided for the country’s adherence to this international humanitarian initiative, which falls within the current politics of President Omar Bongo Ondimba and of the Gabonese Government on this matter.” The decision was adopted thanks to Aldo Ajello, already sent by the E.U. for the Great Lakes Crisis, to whom the Italian Government entrusted a mission in Africa with the goal of gathering support for the moratorium.