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, 2012New JerseyDEATH PENALTY
The method of execution is injection.
The method of execution is injection.
- JANUARY 1, 2012TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
On January 8, 2002, Taiwan’s parliament abolished the Act for the Control and Punishment of Banditry...
On January 8, 2002, Taiwan’s parliament abolished the Act for the Control and Punishment of Banditry...
- JANUARY 1, 2012HawaiiDEATH PENALTY
Hawaii does not have the death penalty, having abolished...
Hawaii does not have the death penalty, having abolished it in 1956 before becoming a state
- JANUARY 1, 2012MaineDEATH PENALTY
Maine does not have the death penalty, having abolished...
Maine does not have the death penalty, having abolished it in 1887
- JANUARY 1, 2012MassachusettsDEATH PENALTY
Massachusetts does not have the death penalty
Massachusetts does not have the death penalty
- DECEMBER 15, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The death penalty in 2011: Year end report - Executions Decline, Death Sentences Fall Well Below 100
USA - The death penalty in 2011: Year end report - Executions Decline, Death Sentences Fall Well Below 100
DECEMBER 15, 2011EswatiniDEATH PENALTYSWAZILAND ADVISED TO REPEAL DEATH SENTENCE
Swaziland is one of the countries that have been urged to consider repealing the death sentence
- DECEMBER 14, 2011North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - North Carolina. Governor Perdue vetoes repeal of Racial Justice Act
USA - North Carolina. Governor Perdue vetoes repeal of Racial Justice Act
- DECEMBER 14, 2011OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. State Supreme Court Justice Testifies for Death Penalty Repeal.
USA - Ohio. State Supreme Court Justice Testifies for Death Penalty Repeal.
DECEMBER 14, 2011DEATH PENALTYNORTH CAROLINA (USA): PERDUE VETOES REPEAL OF RACIAL JUSTICE ACT
Gov. Bev Perdue today vetoed the bill that would gut the Racial Justice Act, the 2-year-old
DECEMBER 13, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA HALVES EXECUTIONS TO 4,000 PER YEAR, RIGHTS GROUP SAYS
Executions in China have dropped 50 per cent since 2007 to around 4,000 per year,
OCTOBER 17, 2011DEATH PENALTYPRESENTATION OF THE “ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR 2011” AWARD
3.30pm, Via di Torre Argentina 76, Rome
OCTOBER 17, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYHOC: ‘ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR 2011' AWARDED TO MONGOLIAN PRESIDENT ELBEGDORJ
the president of the Republic of Mongolia received the Hands Off Cain award for the ''Abolitionist of the Year 2011' for his strong commitment to the application of a moratorium on capital punishment in his country.
OCTOBER 14, 2011DEATH PENALTYRESOLUTION OF THE CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 14, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYRWANDA: AFRICAN CONFERENCE AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY CONCLUDES
this afternoon saw the conclusion of the intergovernmental conference in Kigali, Rwanda. The conference
OCTOBER 13, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYRWANDA: AFRICAN CONFERENCE AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY OPENS IN KIGALI
this morning in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, the Inter-African conference against
- OCTOBER 10, 2011ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
Zimbabwe was reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review
Zimbabwe was reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review
OCTOBER 10, 2011DEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY: HANDS OFF CAIN ORGANISES CONFERENCE IN AFRICA FOR ABOLITION
October 10, 2011: in conjunction with the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Hands Off Cain and the Rwandan government are holding a conference against the death penalty. Twenty three countries from southern, central, and eastern Africa will participate
- OCTOBER 4, 2011Antigua & BarbudaDEATH PENALTY
Antigua and Barbuda was reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review
Antigua and Barbuda was reviewed under the Universal Periodic Review
SEPTEMBER 15, 2011EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: ASHTON, EU WORKS FOR THE ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
the European Union will work for the abolition of capital punishment in Egypt, EU High
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2011Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTY
the delegation of Sierra Leone announced in an addendum to the Report...
the delegation of Sierra Leone announced in an addendum to the Report...
- AUGUST 31, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
EETO CALLS FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY IN TAIWAN
the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) in Taipei repeated its call for
AUGUST 30, 2011RwandaDEATH PENALTYRWANDA TO HOST MEET ON DEATH PENALTY
International experts from various countries, including 25 from Africa, will meet in
- AUGUST 25, 2011CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Bill to change laws for juvenile offenders serving life-without-parole sentences fails in state Assembly.
USA - California. Bill to change laws for juvenile offenders serving life-without-parole sentences fails in state Assembly.
AUGUST 18, 2011BeninDEATH PENALTYBENIN CLOSER TO ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY
Benin took an important step towards abolishing the death penalty after the country’s National Assembly voted in favour of ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which calls for the death penalt
AUGUST 4, 2011DEATH PENALTYHANDS OFF CAIN: TAIEB BACCOUCHE, EDUCATION MINISTER AND TUNISIAN TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON, AT THE PRESENTATION OF THE 2011 REPORT
The presentation of the report was attended by Taieb Baccouche, Education minister and Tunisian transitional Government spokesperson. The 2011 Hands Off Cain Report confirms the positive evolution towards the abolition of the death penalty.
AUGUST 4, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYHANDS OFF CAIN: POSITIVE EVOLUTION TOWARDS THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
the Hands Off Cain 2011 Report, presented today, contains the most important facts regarding the practice of the death penalty in 2010 and the first six months of 2011.
- JULY 29, 2011DEATH PENALTY
PRESENTATION OF HANDS OFF CAIN'S 2011 REPORT ‘THE DEATH PENALTY WORLDWIDE’
Hands Off Cain is an international association that, together with the Radical Party, is conducting a campaign for a moratorium on capital punishment. It is with pleasure that we invite you to the presentation of our 2011 Report “The Death Penalty Worldwi
- JULY 26, 2011KenyaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA: EAST AFRICA PRISON OFFICERS BACK DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION
Uganda and Kenya prison authorities supported the abolition of the death penalty, contrary to judicial officers who insist it should stay.
JULY 25, 2011PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: SUPREME COURT MOVED TO ABOLISH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Barrister Zafarullah Khan of Watan Party, filed a petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan