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
NOVEMBER 14, 2016DEATH PENALTYUSA: A COMEBACK FOR THE DEATH PENALTY?
After years of declining use of the death penalty across the United States and declining public support for
NOVEMBER 10, 2016DEATH PENALTYUSA: PRO-DEATH PENALTY REFERENDA PREVAIL IN 3 STATES; KANSAS RETAINS 4 JUSTICES ATTACKED FOR DEATH PENALTY DECISIONS
Voters in three states approved pro-death penalty ballot questions on Novembre 8, while in a fourth, voters
- NOVEMBER 10, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pro-Death Penalty Referenda Prevail in 3 States; Kansas Retains 4 Justices Attacked for Death Penalty Decisions
USA - Pro-Death Penalty Referenda Prevail in 3 States; Kansas Retains 4 Justices Attacked for Death Penalty Decisions
- NOVEMBER 9, 2016DEATH PENALTY
NEBRASKA AND CALIFORNIA VOTE IN FAVOUR OF THE DEATH PENALTY
In Nebraska, at 1 p.m. Italian time, it is definitive the count on Referendum No. 426, which proposed to
- NOVEMBER 9, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - A result is not yet final, the two major referendum on the death penalty in Nebraska e California seem to have been negative
USA - A result is not yet final, the two major referendum on the death penalty in Nebraska e California seem to have been negative
- NOVEMBER 8, 2016ItalyDEATH BY PUNISHMENT
ITALY: UMBERTO VERONESI, SCIENTIST, WHO SUPPORTED THE ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY AND LIFE SENTENCE, DIED
Umberto Veronesi, a scientist who in his life has always fought for both the abolition of the death penalty and of the life sentence, died today at the age of 90.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2016Equatorial GuineaDEATH PENALTY
PORTUGAL WANTS END TO DEATH PENALTY IN EQUATORIAL GUINEA OR EXPULSION FROM CPLP
Portugal’s foreign minister said that Equatorial Guinea must abolish the death penalty immediately or its
- OCTOBER 10, 2016ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
ZIMBABWE: ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY - MPS SAY THEIR HANDS TIED
Legislators said their hands are tied over abolition of death penalty in Zimbabwe, saying scrapping the
- OCTOBER 10, 2016TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Texas bishops call for abolition of death penalty.
USA - Texas. Texas bishops call for abolition of death penalty.
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2016CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Field Poll: California Death Penalty Repeal Leads.
USA - California. Field Poll: California Death Penalty Repeal Leads.
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2016DEATH PENALTY
FIELD POLL: CALIFORNIA DEATH PENALTY REPEAL LEADS
A poll of California voters conducted jointly by The Field Poll and the Institute of Governmental Studies at
SEPTEMBER 21, 2016JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: BAR FEDERATION TARGETS ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY FOR 1ST TIME
The Japan Federation of Bar Associations will propose for the first time to its members next month that they work for the abolition of capital punishment so that even the worst offenders can be rehabilitated.
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2016CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Bishops support death penalty repeal
USA - California. Bishops support death penalty repeal
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2016UtahDEATH PENALTY
USA - Utah. Catholic Diocese pushes repeal of death penalty.
USA - Utah. Catholic Diocese pushes repeal of death penalty.
- SEPTEMBER 14, 2016TogoDEATH PENALTY
Togo officially accessed to the 1989 Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and
Togo officially accessed to the 1989 Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and
SEPTEMBER 1, 2016GhanaDEATH PENALTYGHANA: 137 PRISONERS INCLUDING 3 WOMEN UNDER DEATH ROW
Director of Amnesty International Ghana, Lawrence Amesu, has revealed that close to 137 prisoners including three women are currently under death row awaiting execution.
- AUGUST 3, 2016DEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN’S 2016 REPORT
The worldwide trend towards abolition, underway for more than fifteen years, was again confirmed in 2015 and the first six months of 2016.
- AUGUST 3, 2016DEATH BY PUNISHMENT
ANALYSIS OF THE 2016 REPORT DATA AND OBJECTIVES OF HANDS OFF CAIN
As can be seen in the 2016 Report by Hands off Cain, the worldwide trend towards de jure or de facto
- JULY 26, 2016ConnecticutDEATH PENALTY
USA - Connecticut. Joshua Komisarjevsky resentenced to six consecutive life sentences without parole
USA - Connecticut. Joshua Komisarjevsky resentenced to six consecutive life sentences without parole
- JULY 19, 2016DEATH PENALTY
CALIFORNIA (USA): SILICON VALLEY STEER CASH TO DEATH PENALTY REPEAL BID
Some of Silicon Valley's biggest names are pouring money into an effort to overturn California's death
- JULY 19, 2016DEATH PENALTY
CALIFORNIA (USA): LT. GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM ENDORSES PROPOSITION TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY
California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom threw his support behind a ballot measure that would repeal the death
- JULY 19, 2016CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom endorses proposition to abolish the death penalty
USA - California. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom endorses proposition to abolish the death penalty
- JULY 18, 2016TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
COUNCIL OF EUROPE WARNS TURKEY NOT TO REVIVE DEATH SENTENCE
The Council of Europe warned Turkey that restoring capital punishment after an attempted coup would be
- JULY 1, 2016ConnecticutDEATH PENALTY
USA - -Connecticut. Judge Robert Devlin re-sentenced Russell Peeler Jr. to 2 consecutive life sentences
USA - -Connecticut. Judge Robert Devlin re-sentenced Russell Peeler Jr. to 2 consecutive life sentences
- JUNE 21, 2016Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
POPE FRANCIS: VIDEO MESSAGE TO DEATH PENALTY CONFERENCE
Pope Francis sent a video message to the participants in the Sixth World Conference Against the Death Penalty, taking place this week in Oslo, Norway.
JUNE 21, 2016TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: SUPREME COURT COMMUTES FILIPINO’S DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE
Instead of the death penalty, the Supreme Court in Taiwan commuted the sentence of a Filipino convicted
- JUNE 19, 2016DEATH PENALTY
CALIFORNIA (USA): CALIFORNIA VOTERS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY OR SPEEDING UP EXECUTIONS
A measure to abolish the death penalty has made it to the November ballot to compete with a measure
- JUNE 19, 2016CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. California Voters to Choose Between Abolishing the Death Penalty or Speeding Up Executions.
USA - California. California Voters to Choose Between Abolishing the Death Penalty or Speeding Up Executions.
- JUNE 15, 2016UtahDEATH PENALTY
USA - Utah. Report: Each death row inmate costs Utah $1.66 million.
USA - Utah. Report: Each death row inmate costs Utah $1.66 million.
- JUNE 15, 2016ConnecticutDEATH PENALTY
USA - Connecticut. Steven Hayes is the 1st Death-Row Inmate Resentenced to Life
USA - Connecticut. Steven Hayes is the 1st Death-Row Inmate Resentenced to Life