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
- JULY 13, 2000AlbaniaDEATH PENALTY
Albania's National Assembly ratified Protocol 6 of...
Albania's National Assembly ratified Protocol 6 of the European Convention of Human Rights which sees the end of capital punishment in the country
- JULY 5, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that "The government's...
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that "The government's initiative is not a must to abolish death penalty
- JUNE 21, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said that capital...
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said that capital punishment can be abolished if it is removed from the framework of Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code [TCK], which formed the basis of the conviction of terrorist Abdullah Ocalan and many other Kurdis
- JUNE 13, 2000AlbaniaDEATH PENALTY
The Albanian government approved the draft-law
The Albanian government approved the draft-law "On ratifying Protocol VI of the European Human Rights Convention
- MAY 30, 2000AlbaniaDEATH PENALTY
The new CE Special Representative to Albania, Jorgen...
The new CE Special Representative to Albania, Jorgen Grunnet, said that the abolition of the death sentence in Albania was de facto in force, although not yet ratified by the Albanian Parliament
- MAY 19, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
New Hampshire to abolish the death penalty
New Hampshire to abolish the death penalty
- MAY 8, 2000New HampshireDEATH PENALTY
As the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee voted...
As the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee voted 5-1 to recommend that the state's death penalty law be repealed, a new poll by Northeastern University found that 55% of New Hampshire residents support abolition of the state's death penalty, 35% oppo
- APRIL 24, 2000South AfricaDEATH PENALTY
South Africa was one of three African countries that...
South Africa was one of three African countries that co-sponsored the resolution at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to universally abolish the death penalty
- APRIL 10, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, the EU term president,...
Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, the EU term president, Portugal's Foreign Minister Jaime Gama, and the EU commissioner for enlargement, Guenter Verheugen, staged a joint press briefing at the end of Turkey-EU Association Council
- APRIL 6, 2000RussiaDEATH PENALTY
The State Duma committee on legislation approved a...
The State Duma committee on legislation approved a bill on the ratification of Protocol 6 of the European Convention on human rights, which provides for capital punishment to be abolished by law in Russia
- MARCH 3, 2000SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
The Minister for Law and Foreign Affairs, Professor S
The Minister for Law and Foreign Affairs, Professor S
- FEBRUARY 29, 2000UkraineDEATH PENALTY
The European Union welcomed the 22 February decision...
The European Union welcomed the 22 February decision of the Parliament of Ukraine to abolish the death penalty and to ratify Protocol 6 to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms concerning the abolition of the
- FEBRUARY 26, 2000IndiaDEATH PENALTY
India's law minister, Ram Jethmalani strongly favoured...
India's law minister, Ram Jethmalani strongly favoured abolition of capital punishment saying the useless exercise has failed to eradicate crime or act as deterrent
- FEBRUARY 23, 2000UkraineDEATH PENALTY
The Council of Europe welcomed the 22 February votes...
The Council of Europe welcomed the 22 February votes by Ukraine's parliament to abolish the death penalty and ratify Protocol No
- FEBRUARY 18, 2000South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
A group of 92 South Korean legislators presented a...
A group of 92 South Korean legislators presented a bill to the National Assembly that called for capital punishment sentences to be abolished and be replaced with life terms in prison sentences
- JANUARY 31, 2000PortugalDEATH PENALTY
The European Union condemned the execution by Uzbekistan...
The European Union condemned the execution by Uzbekistan of six people accused of planting bombs which killed 16 people in Tashkent
- JANUARY 31, 2000UzbekistanDEATH PENALTY
The European Union condemned the execution by Uzbekistan...
The European Union condemned the execution by Uzbekistan of six people accused of planting bombs which killed 16 people in Tashkent
- JANUARY 25, 2000ArmeniaDEATH PENALTY
Viktor Dallakian, the chairman of the State Legal Commission...
Viktor Dallakian, the chairman of the State Legal Commission of Armenia's National Assembly, said there were 32 prisoners condemned to death
- JANUARY 14, 2000UkraineDEATH PENALTY
The European Union (EU) welcomed the decision of the...
The European Union (EU) welcomed the decision of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine regarding the death penalty as unconstitutional
- JANUARY 13, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana...
A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana described Turkey's decision to postpone hanging Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan as "a firm step in the right direction" as Ankara tries to join the 15-nation bloc
- JANUARY 5, 2000UkraineDEATH PENALTY
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the...
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Geneva-based body that works for the rule of law around the world, hailed Ukraine's Constitutional Court for ruling that the death penalty must be abolished in the former Soviet republic
- JANUARY 4, 2000NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo granted a...
The Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo granted a pardon to convicts waiting more than 20 years for execution
- JANUARY 1, 2000IrelandDEATH PENALTY
Abolitionist since 1990, the last execution took place...
Abolitionist since 1990, the last execution took place in 1954
- JANUARY 1, 2000MaineDEATH PENALTY
Maine does not have the death penalty, having abolished...
Maine does not have the death penalty, having abolished it in 1887
- JANUARY 1, 2000North DakotaDEATH PENALTY
North Dakota does not have the death penalty
North Dakota does not have the death penalty
- JANUARY 1, 2000MinnesotaDEATH PENALTY
Minnesota abolished the death penalty in 1911
Minnesota abolished the death penalty in 1911
- JANUARY 1, 2000VermontDEATH PENALTY
Vermont does not have the death penalty
Vermont does not have the death penalty
- JANUARY 1, 2000HawaiiDEATH PENALTY
Hawaii does not have the death penalty, having abolished...
Hawaii does not have the death penalty, having abolished it in 1956 before becoming a state
- JANUARY 1, 2000South DakotaDEATH PENALTY
South Dakota does not forbid the execution of the mentally...
South Dakota does not forbid the execution of the mentally retarded or juvenile offenders but does have life without parole
- JANUARY 1, 2000ItalyDEATH PENALTY
The Constitution approved in 1948 abolished the death...
The Constitution approved in 1948 abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes