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 29, 2010IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Illinois. The House Judiciary Committee voted 4-3 to abolish the death penalty
USA - Illinois. The House Judiciary Committee voted 4-3 to abolish the death penalty
- NOVEMBER 25, 2010Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
the National Assembly (lower house of parliament of the Democratic...
the National Assembly (lower house of parliament of the Democratic...
- NOVEMBER 24, 2010Congo - BrazzavilleDEATH PENALTY
CONGO: HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION – JUSTICE MINISTER FOR ABOLITION
the Hands Off Cain delegation, comprising parliamentarian Elisabetta Zamparutti
- NOVEMBER 23, 2010Congo - BrazzavilleDEATH PENALTY
CONGO: HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION – MEETINGS WITH THE CHAMBER AND SENATE FOR ABOLTION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
after meeting the Secretary General of the Congo Foreign Affairs ministry Daniel Owassa yesterday, the Hands Off Cain and Non Violent Radical Party delegation (comprising parliamentarians Elisabetta Zamparutti and Marco Perduca and accompanied by the Ital
- NOVEMBER 16, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY: ZAMPARUTTI (RADICALS)- ITALY NOT TO COLLABORATE WITH THE US LETHAL INJECTION
Radical parliamentarian and Hands Off Cain treasurer Elisabetta Zamparutti today presented an urgent interrogation to the Council President and the Health Minister.
- NOVEMBER 16, 2010United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Poll Shows Growing Support for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
USA - Poll Shows Growing Support for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
- NOVEMBER 11, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
MALI: HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION FOR ABOLITION AND UN MORATORIUM CONTINUES
the Hands Off Cain and Radical Party mission in Mali is continuing. Its objectives are to accelerate the parliamentary procedures for the definitive abolition of the death penalty in the country and to gain Mali's support for two important resolutions in
- NOVEMBER 11, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
MALI: HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION - HEARING IN PARLIAMENT AND VISIT TO BAMAKO WOMEN'S PRISON
the Hands Off Cain delegation in Mali (comprising Marco Pannella
- NOVEMBER 10, 2010TajikistanDEATH PENALTY
TAJIKISTAN SET TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY IN 'NEAR FUTURE' - SENIOR OFFICIAL
Tajikistan is a "few steps away" from abolishing capital punishment as a moratorium
- NOVEMBER 10, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
MALI: THE HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION'S FIRST MEETINGS FOR ABOLITION AND THE UN MORATORIUM
the Hands Off Cain and Radical Party delegation in Mali, comprising Marco Pannella
- OCTOBER 14, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION IN ZAMBIA FOR ABOLITION AND MORATORIUM CONCLUDES
the mission in Zambia by Radical parliamentarians Elisabetta Zamparutti and Marco Perduca concluded with meetings with the foreign minister and the president of the Republic.
- OCTOBER 14, 2010GuyanaDEATH PENALTY
GUYANA ABOLISHES MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY
Guyana's parliament voted to abolish the mandatory death penalty for people convicted of
- OCTOBER 13, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION IN ZAMBIA CONTINUES FOR ABOLITION AND UN MORATORIUM
after participating yesterday at the “Death Has No Appeal” forum organised by the European Union in Lusaka, the Hands Off Cain delegation in Zambia (comprised of Radical parliamentarians Elizabetta Zamparutti and Marco Perduca) met the Zambian parliamenta
- OCTOBER 12, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN MISSION IN ZAMBIA FOR ABOLITION AND UN MORATORIUM
a delegation from Hands Off Cain is now in Zambia, the first step in a mission against the death
- OCTOBER 11, 2010ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
ZIMBABWE: ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY-AMNESTY INT.
Amnesty International Zimbabwe will this week petition the legal secretaries from the three political parties in the inclusive government to help abolish the death sentence in Zimbabwe.
- OCTOBER 10, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN PRESENT THE INITIATIVES FOR THE WORLD DAY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY
at a conference held in Rome on October 10 on the World Day Against the Death Penalty, Hands Off Cain presented the dossier “Sakineh and the others” on stoning around the world and showed a video by the Iranian Resistance with images of a double stoning,
- OCTOBER 7, 2010SpainDEATH PENALTY
SPAIN: ZAPATERO CALLS FOR WORLDWIDE MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY
Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, called for a worldwide moratorium
- OCTOBER 6, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY: THE CHAMBER APPROVES ZAMPARUTTI'S MOTION IN FAVOUR OF A NEW UN PRO MORATORIUM RESOLUTION
today the Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved (with only two abstentions) a motion presented by Radical Parliamentarian Elisabetta Zamparutti and signed by representatives of all political groups.
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: AMBASSADOR IN ITALY- ‘STONING WILL SOON BE ABOLISHED’
the Iranian ambassador in Italy said that the parliament in Tehran will shortly approve
- SEPTEMBER 1, 2010NigerDEATH PENALTY
NIGER URGED BY RIGHTS GROUP TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY IN NEW CONSTITUTION
Niger has a “historic opportunity” to abolish the death penalty in a new constitution that will be voted
- JULY 31, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN HANDS THE 2010 ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR AWARD TO JEAN PING, PRESIDENT OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION
during the ceremony that was held today at the Hands Off Cain headquarters, Senate Vice President Emma Bonino handed the “Abolitionist of the Year” award to the President of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping.
- JULY 31, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN 2010 REPORT: THE DATA CONFIRMS THE POSITIVE EVOLUTION TOWARDS THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
the 2010 report, published by Reality Book and again edited by Elisabetta Zamparutti, gives an account of the most important facts relative to the death penalty in 2009 and in the first six months of 2010. The data confirms the positive evolution towards
- JULY 31, 2010ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN PRESENTS THE 2010 REPORT ON THE DEATH PENALTY WORLDWIDE
the 2010 Report on the death penalty worldwide, edited by Elisabetta Zamparutti, was presented by Hands Off Cain at their headquarters in Rome. Attending the press conference was the President of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping. Mr Ping was awarde
- JULY 29, 2010DEATH PENALTY
AWARD PRESENTATION FOR ‘THE ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR 2010’ AND PRESENTATION OF HANDS OFF CAIN’S 2010 REPORT ‘THE DEATH PENALTY WORLDWIDE’
Saturday, July 31, 2010 – 11:00 A.M., Via di Torre Argentina 76, Rome.
- JULY 23, 2010DEATH PENALTY
AWARD PRESENTATION FOR ‘THE ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR 2010’ AND PRESENTATION OF HANDS OFF CAIN’S 2010 REPORT ‘THE DEATH PENALTY WORLDWIDE’
Saturday, July 31, 2010 – 10:30 A.M., Via di Torre Argentina 76, Rome.
- MAY 20, 2010OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oklahoma. (Europe). European Union Notes Decision to Commute Death Sentence of Mr. Richard Smith
USA - Oklahoma. (Europe). European Union Notes Decision to Commute Death Sentence of Mr. Richard Smith
- MAY 1, 2010TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: EU CONDEMNS RESUMPTION OF EXECUTIONS
the European Union condemned the resumption of executions in Taiwan,
- APRIL 18, 2010TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: FIRST PUBLIC HEARING ON DEATH PENALTY SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 21
the first public hearing on abolishing the death penalty in Taiwan will be held April 21 in Taipei County, according to the Justice Ministry.
- APRIL 16, 2010BeninDEATH PENALTY
Between April 12-15, 2010, the death penalty working group...
Between April 12-15, 2010, the death penalty working group of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights organised a second regional meeting in Cotonou, Benin.
- MARCH 30, 2010JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN: MURDER- TOWARDS ABOLITION FOR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Japan’s controlling Democratic Party approved a draft law that would abolish the statute of limitations for