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 17, 2011IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Illinois. The Dalai Lama has praised Illinois for recently abolishing the death penalty
USA - Illinois. The Dalai Lama has praised Illinois for recently abolishing the death penalty
JULY 17, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: DALAI LAMA PRAISES ILLINOIS FOR ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY
The Dalai Lama has praised Illinois for recently abolishing the death penalty. That
- JUNE 29, 2011Rhode IslandDEATH PENALTY
USA - Rhode Island. Governor pardons hanged in 1845
USA - Rhode Island. Governor pardons hanged in 1845
JUNE 24, 2011MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: WORLD COALITION AGM OPENS WITH PLEA FOR ABOLITION
Morocco is moving gradually towards the abolition of the death penalty and the
JUNE 24, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYTUNISIA: RADICALS SAY TUNISIA MOVING TOWARDS ABOLITION
Tunisia is moving towards the abolition of the death penalty and joining the International
- MAY 27, 2011Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTY
in an addendum to the Report of the Working Group on the Universal...
in an addendum to the Report of the Working Group on the Universal...
- MAY 13, 2011SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER RIGHTS SITUATION IN AFRICA
Amnesty International addressed the African commission on human and people’s rights on the state of the situation of human rights in Africa.
- MAY 13, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN DEFENDS EXECUTIONS OF DEATH-ROW INMATES ACCORDING TO LAW
the abolition of death penalty is Taiwan's ultimate goal and can only be realised after it receives the support of a majority of local people, Vice Minister of Justice Chen Shou-huang said.
APRIL 14, 2011JapanDEATH PENALTYPACE URGES BELARUS TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) called on
- APRIL 12, 2011ConnecticutDEATH PENALTY
USA - Connecticut. The legislature's Judiciary Committee today approved 26-17 a bill that would abolish the death penalty
USA - Connecticut. The legislature's Judiciary Committee today approved 26-17 a bill that would abolish the death penalty
APRIL 12, 2011DEATH PENALTYCONNECTICUT (USA): DEATH PENALTY REPEAL BILL APPROVED BY JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
The legislature's Judiciary Committee approved 26-17 a bill that would abolish
APRIL 5, 2011Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTYSIERRA LEONE AGAINST UNIVERSAL MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International was "gravely concerned that Sierra Leone's name was included
MARCH 29, 2011TajikistanDEATH PENALTYTAJIKISTAN: MAJORITY OF POPULATION AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
according to the findings of survey conducted by the Nota Bene public association
MARCH 28, 2011DEATH PENALTYAMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: EXECUTING COUNTRIES LEFT ISOLATED AFTER DECADE OF PROGRESS
Countries which continue to use the death penalty are being left increasingly isolated following
MARCH 28, 2011KazakhstanDEATH PENALTYKAZAKHSTAN: TOWARDS DEFINITIVE ABOLITION
Kazakhstan took another step towards the abolition of the death penalty. The Presidential
- MARCH 18, 2011IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Montana. A proposal to abolish death penalty has failed.
USA - Montana. A proposal to abolish death penalty has failed.
- MARCH 15, 2011LiberiaDEATH PENALTY
the Government of Liberia presented its responses to recommendations...
the Government of Liberia presented its responses to recommendations...
MARCH 10, 2011ItalyDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY: HANDS OFF CAIN - ABOLITION IN ILLINOIS SIGNALS A CHANGE IN ALL THE UNITED STATES
“The abolition of the death penalty in Illinois signals a change in all the United States. It shows
- MARCH 9, 2011New MexicoDEATH PENALTY
USA - New Mexico. Death penalty reinstatement dies in committee
USA - New Mexico. Death penalty reinstatement dies in committee
- MARCH 9, 2011IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Illinois. Gov. Pat Quinn abolished the death penalty today
USA - Illinois. Gov. Pat Quinn abolished the death penalty today
MARCH 9, 2011DEATH PENALTYILLINOIS (USA): GOV. PAT QUINN ABOLISHES THE DEATH PENALTY
Gov. Pat Quinn abolished the death penalty today, more than a decade after the state imposed a moratorium on executions out of concern that innocent people could be put to death by a justice system that had wrongly condemned 13 men.
- MARCH 8, 2011IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Illinois. Gov. Pat Quinn intends to abolish the death penalty in Illinois tomorrow
USA - Illinois. Gov. Pat Quinn intends to abolish the death penalty in Illinois tomorrow
- MARCH 5, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
President Ma Ying-jeou defended the Ministry of Justice’s...
President Ma Ying-jeou defended the Ministry of Justice’s...
MARCH 4, 2011GhanaDEATH PENALTYon behalf of Hands Off Cain, MP and Speaker of the OSCE
on behalf of Hands Off Cain, MP and Speaker of the OSCE
- FEBRUARY 17, 2011MozambiqueDEATH PENALTY
MOZAMBIQUE: COMMUNITY COURT REINTRODUCES DEATH PENALTY
although the death penalty was abolished in Mozambique in 1990, a Community Court in Chirere, in the Manica district of Mossurize, sentenced a man to be beaten to death for the alleged theft of an ox-cart.
FEBRUARY 14, 2011GabonDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY: HANDS OFF CAIN ANNOUNCES ABOLITION IN GABON
Gabon completely abolished the death penalty in February 2010, the Radical association Hands Off Cain announced. Today, the Justice Minister of Gabon sent Hands Off Cain a copy of the law published in the Official Gazette.
JANUARY 25, 2011ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: DEBATE ON THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH SENTENCE
Amnesty International in conjunction with Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum held a two day
- JANUARY 24, 2011IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Illinois. Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon urges Gov. Pat Quinn to abolish the death penalty
USA - Illinois. Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon urges Gov. Pat Quinn to abolish the death penalty
- JANUARY 22, 2011IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Illinois. A group of former US attorneys urge Quinn to abolish death penalty.
USA - Illinois. A group of former US attorneys urge Quinn to abolish death penalty.
JANUARY 21, 2011JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: JUSTICE MINISTER TO CONSIDER ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY
Justice Minister Satsuki Eda said a study group set up by the justice ministry would