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
- JANUARY 1, 2000CanadaDEATH PENALTY
Canada abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes...
Canada abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 1976 and for military offenses on December 10, 1998
- JANUARY 1, 2000ParaguayDEATH PENALTY
The Constitution of Paraguay (1992) at Art
The Constitution of Paraguay (1992) at Art
- JANUARY 1, 2000HaitiDEATH PENALTY
The Constitution of the Republic of Haiti (1987) at Art
The Constitution of the Republic of Haiti (1987) at Art
- JANUARY 1, 2000MoldovaDEATH PENALTY
Moldova abolished the death penalty in December 1995
Moldova abolished the death penalty in December 1995
- JANUARY 1, 2000San MarinoDEATH PENALTY
San Marino abolished the death penalty for ordinary...
San Marino abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 1848, fully abolished it in 1865, and the last execution took place way back in 1468
- JANUARY 1, 2000PeruDEATH PENALTY
Peru has been abolitionist for common crimes since...
Peru has been abolitionist for common crimes since 1979, when the last execution was held
- JANUARY 1, 2000CyprusDEATH PENALTY
The Turkish Cypriot Constitution abolished capital...
The Turkish Cypriot Constitution abolished capital punishment except for military crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2000SwitzerlandDEATH PENALTY
After abolishing the death penalty for ordinary crimes...
After abolishing the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 1942, Switzerland has been fully abolitionist since 1992; the last execution was conducted in 1944
- JANUARY 1, 2000ArgentinaDEATH PENALTY
Art.18 of the Constitution provides for "the complete...
Art.18 of the Constitution provides for "the complete abolition of the death penalty for political motives." A constitutional amendment, passed in 1994, recognizes international treaties signed by Argentina as equivalent to constitutional norms
- JANUARY 1, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The decline in support of the death penalty is mirrored...
The decline in support of the death penalty is mirrored in other 2000 polls in such states as Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia
- JANUARY 1, 2000FranceDEATH PENALTY
France has been abolitionist since 1981
France has been abolitionist since 1981
- JANUARY 1, 2000FinlandDEATH PENALTY
The Constitution Act of Finland (1919 as amended in...
The Constitution Act of Finland (1919 as amended in 1995), Section 6, states in part: "Everyone shall have the right to life and personal liberty, physical integrity and security of person
- JANUARY 1, 2000HungaryDEATH PENALTY
Hungary has been abolitionist since 1990, following...
Hungary has been abolitionist since 1990, following a decision by the Constitutional Court
- JANUARY 1, 2000IsraelDEATH PENALTY
The country has been abolitionist for ordinary crimes...
The country has been abolitionist for ordinary crimes since 1954
- JANUARY 1, 2000RussiaDEATH PENALTY
In 1996, the then President Boris Yeltsin imposed a...
In 1996, the then President Boris Yeltsin imposed a moratorium on the use of capital punishment when Russia joined the Council of Europe on February 28 of that year
- JANUARY 1, 2000AustriaDEATH PENALTY
Federal Constitutional Law of the Republic of Austria...
Federal Constitutional Law of the Republic of Austria (1920 as amended in 1968) at Art
- JANUARY 1, 2000AngolaDEATH PENALTY
The Constitution approved in 1992 abolished the death...
The Constitution approved in 1992 abolished the death penalty
- JANUARY 1, 2000AlbaniaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished on December 10, 1999...
The death penalty was abolished on December 10, 1999 as the Constitutional Court considered it to be against the spirit of the new Constitution approved by a popular referendum on November 22, 1998
- JANUARY 1, 2000LatviaDEATH PENALTY
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish...
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish the death penalty
- JANUARY 1, 2000ArmeniaDEATH PENALTY
There are 31 capital offenses
There are 31 capital offenses
- JANUARY 1, 2000AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
Australia abolished the death penalty for ordinary...
Australia abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 1984 and for wartime crimes in 1985
- JANUARY 1, 2000MaltaDEATH PENALTY
Although the death penalty had been abolished in 1971...
Although the death penalty had been abolished in 1971 for ordinary crimes in the Criminal Code, it had been retained under the Armed Forces Act of 1970 for certain offences committed in time of war, such as aiding the enemy, desertion and taking part in a
- JANUARY 1, 2000NetherlandsDEATH PENALTY
The Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
The Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (1983) at Art
- JANUARY 1, 2000New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished for ordinary crimes...
The death penalty was abolished for ordinary crimes in 1961, then fully abolished, and replaced with life imprisonment in 1989
- JANUARY 1, 2000ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
In January 1997, 8 prisoners were sent to the gallows...
In January 1997, 8 prisoners were sent to the gallows at Mukobeko Prison
- JANUARY 1, 2000SpainDEATH PENALTY
The country has been abolitionist since 1995; the last...
The country has been abolitionist since 1995; the last execution was conducted in 1975 under the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, who repressed Basque culture and language during his 36 years in power
- JANUARY 1, 2000UzbekistanDEATH PENALTY
The new Penal Code (1995) retains the death penalty...
The new Penal Code (1995) retains the death penalty for 13 offenses as opposed to the 30 offenses of the previous code
- JANUARY 1, 2000PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
A new Constitution abolished the death penalty in 1987,...
A new Constitution abolished the death penalty in 1987, but gave Congress the option of restoring it for "heinous" crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2000DenmarkDEATH PENALTY
Denmark has been abolitionist since 1978
Denmark has been abolitionist since 1978
- JANUARY 1, 2000TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkey's coalition government had to deal with a number...
Turkey's coalition government had to deal with a number of controversial issues in Parliament, including the presidential elections and the death sentence of outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) chieftain Abdullah Ocalan