The abolition of the death penalty
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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 8, 2015IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Poll Results: 61% Pro Death Penalty.
USA - Poll Results: 61% Pro Death Penalty.
JULY 8, 2015DEATH PENALTYILLINOIS (USA): GEORGE RYAN CREATES DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION GROUP
Former Gov. George Ryan, whose moratorium laid the groundwork for ending the death penalty in Illinois during Gov. Pat Quinn's administration, has formed a not-for-profit organization called “Abolition Now” to battle executions nationwide.
JULY 6, 2015South KoreaDEATH PENALTYSOUTH KOREA: LAWMAKERS PUSH TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
Lawmakers submitted a bipartisan bill to the National Assembly proposing to abolish the death penalty,
- JUNE 30, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Supreme Court may vote against death penalty in a near future
USA - Supreme Court may vote against death penalty in a near future
JUNE 16, 2015KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MP PROPOSES BILLS TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
a MP presented two draft Bills whose enactment would result in the repeal of the death sentence from
JUNE 10, 2015Burkina FasoDEATH PENALTYBURKINA FASO: TOWARDS ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY?
in a closed-door meeting in Ouagadougou, the office of the Transitional National Council (TNC)
MAY 31, 2015TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: PRESIDENT, NOT READY TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
presidential spokesman Charles Chen cited President Ma Ying-jeou as saying that the government was
- MAY 29, 2015NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. FDA says Nebraska can't legally import execution drug.
USA - Nebraska. FDA says Nebraska can't legally import execution drug.
- MAY 28, 2015NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. Reaction to Death Penalty Repeal.
USA - Nebraska. Reaction to Death Penalty Repeal.
- MAY 28, 2015NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. Analysis of Nebraska’s vote
USA - Nebraska. Analysis of Nebraska’s vote
- MAY 28, 2015NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. Attorney General Peterson plans to challenge the law that repealed death penalty
USA - Nebraska. Attorney General Peterson plans to challenge the law that repealed death penalty
- MAY 28, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Which State Will Be Next to Abolish the Death Penalty?
USA - Which State Will Be Next to Abolish the Death Penalty?
- MAY 27, 2015NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. With a vote to override a veto by Gov. Pete Ricketts, The Nebraska Legislature repealed the death penalty in the state.
USA - Nebraska. With a vote to override a veto by Gov. Pete Ricketts, The Nebraska Legislature repealed the death penalty in the state.
MAY 27, 2015DEATH PENALTYNEBRASKA (USA): LAWMAKERS OVERRIDE GOVERNOR'S VETO, REPEAL DEATH PENALTY
With a vote to override a veto by Gov. Pete Ricketts, the Nebraska Legislature repealed the death penalty in the state.
- MAY 26, 2015DEATH PENALTY
NEBRASKA (USA): GOV. RICKETTS VETOES A BILL TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
Gov. Pete Ricketts vetoed a bill to abolish the death penalty in the state.
- MAY 25, 2015NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. Senator Ernie Chambers, 77, black, Independent, is the absolute star of the hitherto successful abolitionist attempt in Nebraska.
USA - Nebraska. Senator Ernie Chambers, 77, black, Independent, is the absolute star of the hitherto successful abolitionist attempt in Nebraska.
MAY 23, 2015GuineaDEATH PENALTYGUINEA: DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION PROPOSED IN NEW PENAL CODE
After three years of work, the proposed amendments to the Penal Code were validated in a ceremony held
MAY 21, 2015DEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY: HANDS OFF CAIN CALLS NEBRASKA’S BID TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY ‘VERY MEANINGFUL’
"The abolition of the death penalty in Nebraska has a great political, legal and humanitarian value, because
- MAY 20, 2015NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. Nebraska's unicameral legislature passed a bill to repeal the state's death penalty.
USA - Nebraska. Nebraska's unicameral legislature passed a bill to repeal the state's death penalty.
MAY 20, 2015VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: MANY LAWMAKERS BACK ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY FOR 7 CRIMES
On the first working day of the 9th session of the 13th National Assembly (NA) that opened in Hanoi,
MAY 20, 2015DEATH PENALTYNEBRASKA (USA): LEGISLATURE PASSED BILL TO REPEAL DEATH PENALTY
Nebraska's unicameral legislature passed a bill to repeal the state's death penalty.
- MAY 15, 2015NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. Lawmakers voted 30-16 to advance the death penalty repeal bill through the second of three votes.
USA - Nebraska. Lawmakers voted 30-16 to advance the death penalty repeal bill through the second of three votes.
- MAY 15, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - A federal jury sentenced Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death for setting off bombs at the 2013 Boston Marathon
USA - A federal jury sentenced Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death for setting off bombs at the 2013 Boston Marathon
- MAY 13, 2015DelawareDEATH PENALTY
USA - Delaware. The House Judiciary Committee failed to release Senate Bill 40 that would have repealed the death penalty.
USA - Delaware. The House Judiciary Committee failed to release Senate Bill 40 that would have repealed the death penalty.
- MAY 3, 2015TanzaniaDEATH PENALTY
a Parliamentary Roundtable for consultation on abolition of death sentence was held in Dar es Salam and
a Parliamentary Roundtable for consultation on abolition of death sentence was held in Dar es Salam and
APRIL 29, 2015DEATH BY PUNISHMENTHANDS OFF CAIN DECIDES TO AWARD POPE FRANCIS WITH THE ‘ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR’
The Hands Off Cain's Abolition of the Year Award is given annually to somebody who, more than anybody else during that year, have distinguished themselves for their commitment to the abolition of the death penalty and to the struggle against inhuman and d
- APRIL 24, 2015GambiaDEATH PENALTY
At its 56th ordinary session, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) put the
At its 56th ordinary session, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) put the
APRIL 24, 2015SingaporeDEATH PENALTYEU URGES SINGAPORE TO STOP EXECUTIONS
The EU called on the Singaporean authorities to stop all pending executions and to reinstate its earlier
- APRIL 21, 2015DelawareDEATH PENALTY
USA - Delaware. A new poll indicates 50 percent of Delawareans favor passage of a bill repealing the State’s death penalty
USA - Delaware. A new poll indicates 50 percent of Delawareans favor passage of a bill repealing the State’s death penalty
APRIL 16, 2015DEATH PENALTYNEBRASKA (USA): MEASURE REPEALING DEATH PENALTY ADVANCES
LB268 to repeal the death penalty won 1st-round approval from lawmakers today.