The death penalty is mandatory for murder and treason...

The death penalty is mandatory for murder and treason - but not for mutiny. It has been applied few times and only in exceptional cases. In 90% of cases the Mercy Committee granted pardon. In 1990 Barbados abolished the death penalty for juveniles. The last execution was held in 1984. Barbados is a British Independent Territory for which the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council remains the final court of appeal. It comprises members of the House of Lords, and handles appeals in both civil and criminal cases for many former British colonies in the Caribbean. In recent years the use of the death penalty has become the focus of attention during appeals. British authorities and human rights groups are seeking to get executions halted, whereas many Caribbean nations view the death penalty as a deterrent to crime.