The abolition of the death penalty
Archive theme
The association places countries in four states: retentionist, abolitionist in practice — no executions for at least ten years —, abolitionist for ordinary crimes, and abolitionist for all crimes. Moving from one state to the next is almost always slow: first the executions stop, then the law changes.
This page collects the news on abolitions, legislative reforms, constitutional rulings and changes of state. The current legal status of every country is in the database.
Latest news
AUGUST 11, 2026LebanonDEATH PENALTYLebanon becomes first Middle Eastern country to abolish the death penalty
- JULY 11, 2026South AfricaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH AFRICA: CALLS TO RESTORE DEATH PENALTY WOULD RETURN SA TO ‘BARBARISM’
APRIL 20, 2026Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA - 2,000 Executions Under King Salman in 16 years
The country has a population of around 35 million.
- APRIL 14, 2026United NationsDEATH PENALTY
GLOBAL - The Death Penalty for Drug Offences: Global Overview 2025
Report from Harm Reduction International
APRIL 13, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 2025 Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran
At least 1,639 people executed
- MARCH 30, 2026MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY FOR APOSTASY, HUMANISTS TELLS THE MALDIVES AT UN
At the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council, Humanists UK called on the Maldivian government to protect the rights of non-religious people.
- MARCH 24, 2026Council of EuropeDEATH PENALTY
Council of Europe - Training course for lawyers and legal professionals on death penalty
MARCH 13, 2026United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - NYT: the Death Penalty Is Even More Horrifying Than You Think
- MARCH 4, 2026United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Deterrence and the Death Penalty
DPIC Report
FEBRUARY 24, 2026LebanonDEATH PENALTYLEBANON: HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE APPROVES DRAFT TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
Lebanon’s human rights committee has approved a draft to abolish the death penalty.
- FEBRUARY 15, 2026LebanonDEATH PENALTY
AMB. MARCELLI, IMPORTANT TO ARRIVE AT LAW AGAINST DEATH PENALTY IN LEBANON
Italy's ambassador to Lebanon, Fabrizio Marcelli, met with the chairman of the parliamentary committee on human rights, Michel Moussa, who is working on the bill to abolish the death penalty.
- JANUARY 21, 2026LebanonDEATH PENALTY
LEBANON REVIEWS DEATH PENALTY FOR 84 PRISONERS
Lebanon is facing a critical debate over the death penalty, as 84 prisoners remain under sentences frozen for decades.
- JANUARY 21, 2026United NationsDEATH PENALTY
UNITED NATIONS - UN advocates universal abolition of death penalty
JANUARY 13, 2026TexasDEATH PENALTYUSA - Texas. Report Highlights Decline of New Death Sentences and Executions
- DECEMBER 23, 2025IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - The 100th Week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” Campaign
In 55 Prisons Across Iran
DECEMBER 11, 2025United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Poll: Majority of U.S. Catholics support death penalty
Despite Catechism
- DECEMBER 4, 2025United NationsDEATH PENALTY
UN - Abolition of the death penalty at the United Nations Human Rights Council 60th session
- DECEMBER 4, 2025Burkina FasoDEATH PENALTY
BURKINA FASO - Burkina Faso plans to reintroduce death penalty
The country is governed by a military junta
- NOVEMBER 28, 2025ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY - CITIES FOR LIFE 2025: the Colosseum lights up against the death penalty
- NOVEMBER 27, 2025GambiaDEATH PENALTY
AFRICA - 85th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights
No record shows that the question of Tundu Lissu in Tanzania was raised
NOVEMBER 20, 2025MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: APEX COURT UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY ON S’WAK MAN FOR KILLING BABY
The Federal Court on November 19, 2025 upheld the conviction and death sentence on a father found guilty of murdering his two-month-old disabled baby boy by smashing the child’s body.
- NOVEMBER 18, 2025MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: GOVT FORMS SPECIAL TASK FORCE TO CONDUCT STUDY ON ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY
The government is setting up a special task force to study the status and direction of the death penalty in Malaysia
- OCTOBER 31, 2025DEATH PENALTY
INTERNATIONAL - 42 countries retain the death penalty but have not applied it for at least 10 years
OCTOBER 28, 2025KuwaitDEATH PENALTYKUWAIT: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING WIFE ON EID
In a landmark ruling, the Criminal Court of Kuwait on October 27, 2025 sentenced a Kuwaiti citizen to death for the premeditated murder of his wife in the Mutlaa area on the first day of Eid al-Fitr.
- OCTOBER 23, 2025KyrgyzstanDEATH PENALTY
UN CONDEMNS DEATH PENALTY REVIVAL IN KYRGYZSTAN AS VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on October 20, 2025 warned that the reinstation of the death penalty in Kyrgyzstan would breach international law obligations.
- OCTOBER 23, 2025AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
TALIBAN USES PUBLIC EXECUTIONS TO INSTIL FEAR AND CONTROL POPULATION, UN EXPERT SAYS
The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, has condemned the Taliban’s latest public execution,
OCTOBER 21, 2025IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Joint Statement by Oslo Conference Participants
“Human Rights in Post-Islamic Republic Iran,” 18-19 October 2025
AUGUST 21, 2025NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: PRAWA BOSS CALLS FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Dr Uju Agomoh, Executive Director, Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), has renewed her call for the abolition of the death penalty in Nigeria.
- JULY 22, 2025PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: SENATE PASSES BILL TO END DEATH PENALTY FOR KEY OFFENCES
A bill seeking to abolish the death penalty for harbouring hijackers and for publicly stripping a woman of her clothes was passed on July 18, 2025 by the Senate amidst voices of dissent from both sides of the aisle.
- JULY 9, 2025United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Catholic Church and capital punishment in the United States
Austin Sarat, Amherst College (Massachusetts)