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
DECEMBER 17, 2007New JerseyDEATH PENALTYNEW JERSEY GOVERNOR SIGNS LAW ENDING DEATH PENALTY
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed a law approved by lawm
- DECEMBER 11, 2007DEATH PENALTY
DECLARATION OF LIBREVILLE
at the conclusion of the Conference organised by Hands Off Cain in Gabon, in partnership with the Government of Gabon, the following declaration was adopted:
DECEMBER 11, 2007GabonDEATH PENALTYGABON. CONCLUSION OF HANDS OFF CAIN CONFERENCE FOR THE UN MORATORIUM ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
the conference organised by Hands Off Cain in Gabon on December 10 and 11 concluded today with the adoption of the Declaration of Libreville. The conference was held in partnership with the government of Gabon, under the patronage of President Omar Bongo
DECEMBER 10, 2007New JerseyDEATH PENALTYNEW JERSEY MOVES TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the New Jersey Senate voted to make the state the first in the country to repeal the death penalty since the
DECEMBER 10, 2007MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO CONSIDERS ENDING DEATH PENALTY
Morocco's justice minister says his country is on the verge of abolishing capital punishment.
DECEMBER 3, 2007New JerseyDEATH PENALTYNEW JERSEY MOVES CLOSER TO ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY
By an 8-4 vote, the New Jersey Senate Budget Committee voted to advance a bill to replace the death penalty with a sentence of life in prison without parole.
- NOVEMBER 22, 2007United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
BRITAIN URGES MALAWI TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY: EMBASSY
Britain urged Malawi to abolish capital punishment, still a contentious issue here after the poor southern African nation issued a moratorium on executions 15 years ago.
- NOVEMBER 14, 2007LebanonDEATH PENALTY
LEBANON: 40 MEN AWAIT EXECUTION IN ROUMIEH PRISON
the prospect of passing a ban against the death penalty has become increasingly distant in Lebanon, where human rights advocates say court trials are often expedient and the accused often lack adequate counsel. Sonele Daas sits on death row in Lebanon's c
- NOVEMBER 13, 2007South AfricaDEATH PENALTY
S AFRICA'S TUTU CALLS FOR GLOBAL BAN ON DEATH PENALTY AHEAD OF UN VOTE
S AFRICA'S TUTU CALLS FOR GLOBAL BAN ON DEATH PENALTY AHEAD OF UN VOTE
- NOVEMBER 12, 2007MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO: KING SEEN AS FINAL ARBITER IN LONG-RUNNING DEBATE
the months-long political impasse over death penalty abolition in Morocco can only be finally broken by King Mohamed VI, according to a leading rights campaigner.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2007New ZealandDEATH PENALTY
COOK ISLANDS’ PARLIAMENT TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the death penalty in the Cook Islands is due to be abolished in the sitting of parliament that begins today, reports Cook Island News.
- NOVEMBER 4, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTY
a global moratorium of the death penalty isn't just an idea of a few countries...
a global moratorium of the death penalty isn't just an idea of a few countries...
NOVEMBER 1, 2007United NationsDEATH PENALTYRESOLUTION ON A MORATORIUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY
the UN General Assembly received a draft resolution signed by 72 countries calling for a global moratorium on the death penalty.
- OCTOBER 24, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
SCRAP DEATH PENALTY: EMINENT CITIZENS
SCRAP DEATH PENALTY: EMINENT CITIZENS
OCTOBER 18, 2007MaliDEATH PENALTYMALI. GOVERNMENT ABOLISHES THE DEATH PENALTY
the Mali government announced it adopted a bill for the abolition of the death penalty
- OCTOBER 15, 2007TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN HAS NOT EXECUTED ANYONE FOR TWO YEARS: PRESIDENT
Tawianese President Chen Shui-bian said that no death row convict has been executed in Taiwan for nearly two years and that he has always wanted the death penalty being phased out completely from the country.
- OCTOBER 10, 2007UkraineDEATH PENALTY
UKRAINE ALIGNS WITH EU CALL ON DEATH PENALTY
Ukraine aligned itself with a statement in which the European Union reiterates its call on the countries that still maintain the death penalty to work towards abolishing it.
OCTOBER 10, 2007FranceDEATH PENALTYFRANCE RATIFIES EUROPEAN RIGHTS CONVENTION PROTOCOL TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
France formally agreed to abolish the death penalty in all circumstances when it ratified a provision of
OCTOBER 10, 2007South KoreaDEATH PENALTYSOUTH KOREA CLOSE TO ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY 'IN PRACTICE'
South Korea will be declared as having abolished the death penalty "in practice"
- OCTOBER 9, 2007European UnionDEATH PENALTY
EU REITERATES OPPOSITION AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
the European Union (EU) reiterated its position against the death penalty...
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2007NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: NGO COALITION ASKS ASSEMBLY TO PASS DEATH PENALTY BILL INTO LAW
a coalition of local and international non governmental organisations called on the Nigerian National Assembly to immediately pass into law the draft Death Penalty Moratorium Bill, submitted to it by the Human Rights Law Service in order to stop execution
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2007MexicoDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY-LATIN AMERICA: BROAD SUPPORT FOR UN MORATORIUM
many Latin American governments have not yet adopted a position, or have not communicated one, but the majority trend in the region appears to be to support the UN resolution for a Moratorium on the death penalty.
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2007GabonDEATH PENALTY
GABON ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY WELCOMED BY UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour welcomed...
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
AMNESTY INDIA LAUNCHES ONLINE CAMPAIGN FOR DEATH PENALTY BAN
the Indian branch of Amnesty International launched an online campaign seeking to ban the death penalty. The human rights watchdog also called on New Delhi to support the resolution for the Universal Moratorium on capital punishment to be presented at the
SEPTEMBER 18, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY. PRODI CALLS ON LAUREATES TO BACK GLOBAL MORATORIUM
Romano Prodi, the Italian Prime Minister, is hoping Nobel Peace Prize winners will
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2007South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH KOREA. CAMPAIGN STARTS TO SCRAP DEATH PENALTY
Religious, human rights and civic groups called in South Korea
SEPTEMBER 14, 2007GabonDEATH PENALTYGABON TO SCRAP DEATH PENALTY
Gabon became the latest country to move towards scrapping
SEPTEMBER 11, 2007ItalyDEATH PENALTYMORATORIUM. D’ELIA (RNP), NON VIOLENT CONTINUES STRUGGLE SO THAT WORDS BECOME FACTS
“It was fortunate that Parliament gathered to be informed on the status of the initiative for the UN Moratorium,” announced Sergio D’Elia, Rosa nel Pugno Radical Parliamentarian and Secretary of Hands Off Cain.
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2007KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: HIGH COMMISIONER WANTS DEATH PENALTY SCRAPPED
British High Commissioner Mr Adam Wood has urged the Kenyan Government to scrap the death penalty, saying it was abolished in Britain and Rwanda.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2007DEATH PENALTYCOMMENT ON PRESIDENT KAGAME
The unexpectedly violent tone of Nigrizia's statements shock us more than the content. This is not language that a man of the church should use.