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 19, 2022South KoreaDEATH PENALTYSOUTH KOREA: RELIGIOUS GROUPS CALL FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Catholic Church in South Korea joined other religious groups to call for the abolition of the death penalty terming it unconstitutional and ineffective in curbing criminal offenses in the country.
JUNE 27, 2022United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Biden must take action on promise to end federal death penalty
- JUNE 20, 2022KenyaDEATH PENALTY
NEW RESEARCH EXAMINES KENYAN ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE DEATH PENALTY
A new study, commissioned by The Death Penalty Project, London, in partnership with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, Nairobi, has revealed that...
- JUNE 1, 2022Central African RepublicDEATH PENALTY
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VOTES TO END DEATH PENALTY
The National Assembly of the Central African Republic voted on 27 May 2022 to end capital punishment with a law passed by acclamation which must now be promulgated by President Faustin Archange Touadéra.
- MAY 24, 2022DEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY 2021: STATE-SANCTIONED KILLINGS RISE AS EXECUTIONS SPIKE IN IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA
2021 saw a worrying rise in executions and death sentences as some of the world’s most prolific executioners returned to business as usual and courts were unshackled from Covid-19 restrictions, Amnesty International said on 24 May 2022 in its annual revie
- MAY 16, 2022TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS URGE TAIWAN TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
An international panel of human rights experts on 13 May 2022 called on Taiwan to end the "cruel and degrading" practice of capital punishment.
- MAY 1, 2022SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE: MALAYSIAN NAGAENTHRAN EXECUTED ON DRUGS CHARGES
Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, a Malaysian with learning disabilities who was convicted of drug trafficking in 2010 and whose case attracted global attention, has been executed in Singapore’s Changi prison.
- MARCH 26, 2022KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN COMPLETES ACCESSION TO MAJOR INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENT ON ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Kazakhstan's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York deposited with the United Nations the instrument of ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition o
- JANUARY 23, 2022Papua New GuineaDEATH PENALTY
PAPUA NEW GUINEA REPEALS DEATH PENALTY 30 YEARS AFTER REINTRODUCING IT
The National Parliament of Papua New Guinea announced on 20 January 2022 the abolition of the death penalty for all crimes in the country, 30 years after its reintroduction.
JANUARY 10, 2022RussiaDEATH PENALTYRUSSIA: CHAIR OF COSTITUTIONAL COURT DISCUSSES RETURN OF DEATH PENALTY
The moratorium on capital punishment imposed in Russia in 1997 after the country joined the Council of Europe could be lifted in the future, the chairman of the country’s Constitutional Court said on 28 December 2021.
DECEMBER 31, 2021DEATH PENALTYUSA - Death Penalty Information Center: Year End Report 2021
Virginia abolishes, 11 executions, 19 new death sentences
DECEMBER 20, 2021United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - 2021 Year End Report from the Death Penalty Information Center
11 executions and 18 new death sentences in 1 year
- OCTOBER 9, 2021Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTY
SIERRA LEONE FORMALLY ABOLISHES ‘INHUMANE’ DEATH PENALTY
Sierra Leone on 8 October 2021 formally abolished the death penalty, becoming the 23rd African country to repeal capital punishment.
- OCTOBER 7, 2021DEATH PENALTY
GLOBAL - More than 150 global business leaders call for end of death penalty
Campaign launched by Sir Richard Branson
OCTOBER 7, 2021OregonDEATH PENALTYUSA - Oregon. David Ray Bartol’s Death Sentence Overturned
Decision Could Clear the State’s Entire Death Row
SEPTEMBER 14, 2021UtahDEATH PENALTYUSA - Utah. Four Prosecutors Urge Legislature to Repeal Death Penalty
- SEPTEMBER 6, 2021Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTY
SIERRA LEONE: DEATH PENALTY ABOLISHED
Sierra Leonean lawmakers voted to abolish the death penalty on 23 July 2021, becoming the latest African country to move toward banning capital punishment.
JULY 21, 2021Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTYSIERRA LEONE: PARLIAMENT DEBATES BILL TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY
Sierra Leone Telegraph on 20 July 2021 reported that MPs last week debated new laws that will abolish the death penalty.
- JULY 5, 2021EgyptDEATH PENALTY
INTERNATIONAL GROUP TO ABOLISH DEATH SENTENCE IN ARAB COUNTRIES ESTABLISHED
An International Committee for the abolition of the death penalty in Arab countries was established on 25 June 2021 under the leadership of former Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki.
- JULY 1, 2021United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - DPIC 2021 Mid-Year Review
Continuing Record-Low Death Penalty Usage in First Half of Year
- JUNE 15, 2021United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Biden’s Death Penalty Reversal in the Boston Bomber Case
Follows in Trump's footsteps
- MAY 13, 2021NevadaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nevada. Democrats Squander Opportunity To End Death Penalty
Gov. Sisolak walked back his position
MAY 13, 2021Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTYSIERRA LEONE: GOVERNMENT MOVES TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
Sierra Leone's government will move to abolish the death penalty in the West African state, deputy justice minister Umaru Napoleon Koroma said on 12 May 2021.
- MAY 6, 2021Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTY
SIERRA LEONE MAY SOON ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY
The President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, Eddinia Michaela Swallow, last week took part in a roundtable discussion on the abolition of the death penalty in Sierra Leone.
MAY 4, 2021TexasDEATH PENALTYUSA - Texas. House votes to end 'law of parties' in death penalty cases
HB 1340 passed 139-4
- APRIL 24, 2021TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN UNCHANGED ON EVENTUAL GOAL OF ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY: MINISTER OF JUSTICE
Minister of Justice Tsai Ching-hsiang said on 21 April 2021 that Taiwan remains on track to abolish capital punishment despite an execution and five death sentences last year.
- APRIL 21, 2021DEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY IN 2020: EXECUTIONS DOWN A QUARTER – AMNESTY’S NEW REPORT
The number of executions recorded by Amnesty International during 2020 fell by a quarter compared to the previous year - one of the findings of the organisation’s authoritative annual overview of capital punishment across the world, published on 21 April
MARCH 30, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Annual report on the death penalty by Iran Human Rights
At least 267 people were executed in 2020
- MARCH 30, 2021FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Bill to eliminate death penalty for mentally ill clears first Senate committee
SB 1156
- MARCH 27, 2021ArmeniaDEATH PENALTY
EU WELCOMES ARMENIA’S RATIFICATION OF PROTOCOL TO INTERNATIONAL COVENANT AIMED AT ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
The European Union on 24 March 2021 welcomed the ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights aimed at the abolishment of death penalty by Armenia.