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
- OCTOBER 10, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALIAN CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES. CELEBRATION: EUROPEAN DAY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY
"Today is an important occasion to remember the struggle at the United Nations for the adoption of the resolution for the Moratorium on capital punishment. We also renew the commitment by institutions and civil society to not lower our guard," Giorgio Nap
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2008New HampshireDEATH PENALTY
USA - New Hampshire. A poll found that 57 % said that the death penalty is an appropriate maximum punishment for a police killing
USA - New Hampshire. A poll found that 57 % said that the death penalty is an appropriate maximum punishment for a police killing
- SEPTEMBER 15, 2008United NationsDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY: BAN KI-MOON'S REPORT RELEASED
Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations, released a report on the death penalty. It was one of the provisions of the Resolution on the moratorium on capital punishment, approved by the General Assembly in December 2007, asking the Secreta
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2008MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. DEATH PENALTY NOT THE WAY TO ADDRESS CRIMINALITY: AMNESTY
"it is the responsibility of governments to address criminality effectively without resorting to the death penalty," said Amnesty International Malaysia executive director Nora Murat.
- AUGUST 28, 2008Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTY
SIERRA LEONE: ACTIVISTS WILL ACCEPT ONLY FULL ABOLITION
Sierra Leonean rights activists served notice to the government that they will campaign against any attempt to retain the death penalty in the new constitution and insist the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission are fully adopted.
- AUGUST 20, 2008TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
TURKEY: MHP DEMANDS RETURN OF DEATH PENALTY
the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in Turkey is increasing its efforts to bring back the death penalty, with two of its deputies preparing a bill to reintroduce capital punishment, which was abolished when the MHP was part of a coalition government.
- AUGUST 10, 2008TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: PLAN TO PHASE OUT DEATH PENALTY OPPOSED
ruling Taiwanese Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers said that they oppose a Ministry of Justice plan to phase out the death penalty, claiming that a lack of capital punishment would increase the crime rate.
- AUGUST 7, 2008NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: EDO HOUSE MOVES AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
in Nigeria, the former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and member representing Esan South and Esan North at the House of Representatives, Abuja, Hon. Friday ltulah pledged to introduce the capital punishment amendment bill on the floor of the H
- AUGUST 6, 2008ArgentinaDEATH PENALTY
ARGENTINA. LAST VESTIGES OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT ABOLISHED
the Argentine Congress eliminated the Military Code of Justice, thereby eliminating a special jurisdiction dating back to the 19th century, as well as burying the last vestige of the death penalty and ending punishment for homosexuality.
- JULY 24, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
PRODI HONOURED WITH “ABOLITIONIST OF THE YEAR” AWARD
Romano Prodi, the ex-President of the Council of the Italian Government, was presented with “The Abolitionist of the Year 2008” Award by Hands Off Cain. The award recognises the person who, above all others, demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the
- JULY 24, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN PRESENTS 2008 ANNUAL REPORT
during the ceremony for the “Abolitionist of the Year 2008” Award, Hands Off Cain presented its 2008 Report on the Death Penalty Worldwide.
- JULY 20, 2008LiberiaDEATH PENALTY
LIBERIA PRESIDENT MUST VETO DEATH PENALTY BILL
following the confirmation by the Liberian Senate of a bill re-proposing the death penalty for certain crimes, Amnesty International called on President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to veto the bill.
- JULY 14, 2008UzbekistanDEATH PENALTY
OVER 90% OF UZBEKS SUPPORT ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY – POLL
the citizens of Uzbekistan support a humanisation of their criminal justice system, the
- JULY 7, 2008NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
three Nigerian members of parliament stepped...
three Nigerian members of parliament stepped...
- JULY 1, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
a conference was held in Erbil by the Kurdistan Regional Government...
a conference was held in Erbil by the Kurdistan Regional Government...
- JUNE 28, 2008IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - The assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association has voted to support abolishing the death penalty in the state.
USA - The assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association has voted to support abolishing the death penalty in the state.
- JUNE 26, 2008GhanaDEATH PENALTY
GHANA. GOVT FAILED TO BAN DEATH PENALTY
a senior Ghanaian justice department official expressed surprise that the government
- JUNE 16, 2008European UnionDEATH PENALTY
the EU foreign ministers adopted a revised and updated...
the EU foreign ministers adopted a revised and updated...
- JUNE 11, 2008MaliDEATH PENALTY
a new bill to abolish the death penalty in Mali...
a new bill to abolish the death penalty in Mali...
- JUNE 2, 2008MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO. CALLS FOR ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
two recently discovered mass graves and a still-secret list of five other places where
- JUNE 1, 2008NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA. REPS SEEK END TO DEATH PENALTY
capital punishment may soon be expunged from Nigeria's statutes book if members
- MAY 21, 2008TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN. JUSTICE MINISTER BIDS TO SCRAP DEATH PENALTY
Taiwan's new Justice Minister Wang Ching-feng said she will attempt to
- MAY 14, 2008United StatesDEATH PENALTY
EU CONDEMNS US RESUMPTION OF EXECUTIONS
the European Union condemned the resumption of judicial executions in the United
- MAY 8, 2008LiberiaDEATH PENALTY
LIBERIA. RIGHTS GROUPS CONCERNED OVER DEATH PENALTY LEGISLATION
human rights groups in Liberia expressed concern over a law approved
- MAY 2, 2008RussiaDEATH PENALTY
RUSSIA VACILLATING OVER ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Russia is possibly just two or three years away from abolishing the death penalty, Penal Reform International’s director for Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, Victoria Sergeyeva suggested
- APRIL 17, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY. D'ELIA, LETHAL INJECTION ISN’T THE PROBLEM BUT THE ANACHRONISM OF THE DEATH PENALTY
regarding the US Supreme Court’s decision on the constitutionality of using lethal injection, Hands Off Cain Secretary, Sergio D'Elia, said: "The US Supreme Court wasn't called on to decide on the death penalty itself but whether the method of execution
- APRIL 1, 2008DEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN SUPPORTS CAPITAL X IN HIS WALK AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY
American rapper Capital X’s campaign against the death penalty, sponsored by
- MARCH 25, 2008NevadaDEATH PENALTY
Senators rejected 28-20 a bill (LB1063) that would have repealed the death penalty
Senators rejected 28-20 a bill (LB1063) that would have repealed the death penalty
- MARCH 8, 2008ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. SUPREME COURT REJECTS 15 PERCENT OF DEATH SENTENCES IN 2007: REPORT
China's Supreme Court rejected 15 percent of all death sentences handed
- MARCH 6, 2008TunisiaDEATH PENALTY
TUNISIA. ABOLITIONIST DRAFT LAW PRESENTED
a group of Tunisian parliamentarians presented a draft law for