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 9, 2025United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Catholic Church and capital punishment in the United States
Austin Sarat, Amherst College (Massachusetts)
JUNE 30, 2025DelawareDEATH PENALTYUSA - Delaware. General Assembly passes 1st leg of amendment to ban death penalty
It will have to be re-voted next year
- JUNE 26, 2025DelawareDEATH PENALTY
USA - Delaware. Death penalty ban in constitution passes Senate committee
JUNE 26, 2025ItalyDEATH PENALTY2025 WORLD DRUG DAY
HoC signs the collective statement
JUNE 26, 2025VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM ENDS DEATH PENALTY FOR 8 CRIMES, MAY SPARE REAL ESTATE TYCOON
Vietnam has lifted the death penalty for eight crimes in legal reforms that may spare the life of a real estate tycoon imprisoned in the country’s largest financial fraud case, AP reported on June 26, 2025.
- JUNE 24, 2025DelawareDEATH PENALTY
USA - Delaware. House Approves Constitutional Amendment to Abolish Death Penalty
JUNE 12, 2025JapanDEATH PENALTYEX-MONGOLIA LEADER URGES JAPAN LAWMAKERS TO END DEATH PENALTY
A former Mongolian president known for abolishing his country's death penalty urged Japanese lawmakers in a recent interview to take the same step despite the public's continued support for executions.
JUNE 3, 2025LesothoDEATH PENALTY13 COUNTRIES URGE LESOTHO TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
Lesotho has been urged by 13 countries to formally abolish the death penalty, maintain its de facto moratorium on executions, and ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR-OP2), which seeks to e
MAY 22, 2025United NationsDEATH PENALTYUNITED NATIONS - Abolition of the death penalty at the United Nations Human Rights Council 58th session
MAY 2, 2025United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Illinois. Former Gov. George Ryan Dies at 91
He cleared death row in 2003
MAY 2, 2025United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Death Row USA Spring 2025
2067 persons on death row as April 1, 2025
APRIL 11, 2025DEATH PENALTYAMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: GLOBAL RECORDED EXECUTIONS HIT THEIR HIGHEST FIGURE SINCE 2015
Global executions hit their highest figure since 2015, as over 1,500 people were executed across 15 countries in 2024, said Amnesty International on April 8, 2025 as it released its annual report on the global use of the death penalty
APRIL 6, 2025ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA COMMITTED TO IRREVERSIBLE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY FOR ALL CRIMES
The Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR entered into force for Zambia on 19 March 2025, three months after date of deposition of the accession instruments.
APRIL 3, 2025IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Motion of the European Parliament on executions in Iran
APRIL 1, 2025IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 62nd Week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” Campaign
MARCH 28, 2025United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - GOP lawmakers in 10 states introduce bills to treat abortion as homicide
MARCH 16, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: KMT TO START CAMPAIGN ON REFERENDUM AGAINST END TO DEATH PENALTY
The major opposition Kuomintang (KMT) will launch a campaign to hold a referendum against the abolition of death penalty, KMT Chairman Eric Chu said on March 7, 2025.
FEBRUARY 27, 2025CanadaDEATH PENALTYCANADA - 54% of Canadians still favor capital punishment
The figure drops to 35% if the alternative is life without parole
FEBRUARY 24, 2025JapanDEATH PENALTY83.1% IN JAPAN SUPPORT DEATH PENALTY: GOV'T SURVEY
Japanese public support for the death penalty has exceeded 80% for the fifth consecutive time in a poll conducted by the Cabinet Office every five years, underscoring strong public backing for the system in the country.
FEBRUARY 21, 2025South DakotaDEATH PENALTYUSA - South Dakota. Senate Judiciary Committee voted down SB 119 to abolish death penalty
FEBRUARY 20, 2025IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - IHR 2024 Annual Report
At least 975 people were executed in 2024
FEBRUARY 17, 2025KenyaDEATH PENALTYICJ KENYA WELCOMES PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW OF DEATH PENALTY AS CRUCIAL
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Kenya has praised the formation of a Parliamentary Task Force to review the country’s death penalty laws, calling it a crucial step in justice reform, Capitalfm website reported on February 13, 2025.
FEBRUARY 9, 2025TanzaniaDEATH PENALTYAFRICAN COURT ORDERS TANZANIA TO END MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY
The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights has ruled against Tanzania’s mandatory imposition of the death penalty, calling it a violation of fundamental human rights.
JANUARY 14, 2025IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 51st week of the “No to Executions on Tuesdays” campaign
Hunger strikes in 34 female and male prisons
JANUARY 7, 2025IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Volker Türk "deeply troubled by the marked increase in executions in Iran in 2024"
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
DECEMBER 31, 2024ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: PRESIDENT EMMERSON MNANGAGWA SIGNS BILL ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY
Zimbabwe officially abolished the death penalty on December 31, 2024, after President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law an act that will commute to jail time the sentences of prisoners on death row.
DECEMBER 17, 2024United NationsDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY. HANDS OFF CAIN, ANOTHER STEP TOWARD WORLDWIDE ABOLITION
The United Nations General Assembly has just passed its 10th Resolution for a universal moratorium on executions.
- DECEMBER 15, 2024ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
ZIMBABWE: SENATE APPROVES BILL TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
Zimbabwe’s Senate has approved a bill to abolish the death penalty, a key step in scrapping a law last used in the southern African nation nearly 20 years ago.
DECEMBER 3, 2024IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 45th week of “No to Executions Tuesdays”
NOVEMBER 27, 2024Council of EuropeDEATH PENALTYCOUNCIL OF EUROPE - Round table on measures against the trade of goods used for executions