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, 2007BahrainDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are
- DECEMBER 20, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
EU. DEATH PENALTY DECLARATION PRESENTED AT UNGA
a declaration on the death penalty was presented at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The declaration was prepared by the EU on Italy’s initiative and was undersigned by 85 UN member states.
- DECEMBER 2, 2006KyrgyzstanDEATH PENALTY
KYRGYZ JUSTICE MINISTER IN FAVOUR OF ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY
“The abolition of the death penalty in Kyrgyzstan is fully in line with the mentality of the Kyrgyz people,” Kyrgyz Justice Minister Marat Kayypov said at a news conference.
- NOVEMBER 13, 2006ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
ZAMBIA COURT REJECTS PLEA TO SCRAP DEATH SENTENCES
Zambia's Supreme Court has rejected a petition by two death-row inmates who sought the abolition of capital punishment on the grounds that it went against "Christian values".
- NOVEMBER 11, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. RE-LAUNCH OF ONLINE COLLECTION OF SIGNATURES FOR “HANDS OFF SADDAM”
an event was held in Rome re-launching the online collection of signatures for the “Hands Off Saddam” campaign and for a UN moratorium on capital executions.
- NOVEMBER 9, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. COURTS ORDERED TO RESTRICT USE OF DEATH PENALTY
in China's latest move to control the use of the death penalty, the chief justice urged courts to exercise extreme caution when sentencing people to death, saying that every judgement must stand the test of time.
- OCTOBER 26, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. NO MORATORIUM RESOLUTION THIS YEAR, FOREIGN MINISTER
there should be “European consensus” for a UN resolution for a universal moratorium on executions, said Italy’s Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema.
- OCTOBER 12, 2006RwandaDEATH PENALTY
RWANDA. RULING PARTY TO VOTE ON ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY
Rwanda's ruling party will push for a law abolishing the death penalty in the east African state, a senior party official said. Outlawing capital punishment would clear the way for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and western countries to
- OCTOBER 11, 2006United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE. CALL TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
a prominent UAE human rights activist has called for the abolition of the death penalty in the UAE, on the fourth annual World Day Against the Death Penalty.
- OCTOBER 11, 2006TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN. DEATH PENALTY TO BE PHASED OUT GRADUALLY: MINISTER
the death penalty will be phased out in a gradual manner, Taiwan’s Minister of Justice Shih Mao-lin said.
- OCTOBER 10, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
BRUSSELS. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARIANS BACK UN MORATORIUM
a group of European Parliamentarians sent a letter to the European Council and to EU Ministers asking they support a moratorium on executions at the UN General Assembly.
- OCTOBER 10, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. DEATH PENALTY ABOLISHED FROM THE CONSTITUTION IN FIRST READING
the Chamber of Deputies approved the first reading of the law repealing all references to the death penalty in Italy’s Constitution.
- OCTOBER 10, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. RESOLUTION FOR UN MORATORIUM DEPOSITED AT CHAMBER
a resolution was deposited at the Chamber of Deputies’ Foreign Commission asking the government to “fully and immediately put into action” the motion established in Parliament last July 27 to present at the ongoing UN General Assembly a resolution for a U
- OCTOBER 5, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN UNION. EUROPE HAILS THE PHILIPPINES FOR ‘TURNING ITS BACK’ ON DEATH PENALTY
the European Union hailed the Philippine government for “turning its back” on capital punishment and now counts on the latter to urge more countries to do the same, the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs reported.
- OCTOBER 4, 2006MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT COULD SOON BE ABOLISHED
a bill that would abolish capital punishment in Morocco is scheduled to be presented to parliament within the few next months, said Bouchra Khiari, deputy of the opposition party Le Front des Forces Démocratiques (FFD).
- SEPTEMBER 11, 2006MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. DEATH SENTENCE WILL BE MAINTAINED, SAYS NAZRI
the government of Malaysia reiterated that capital punishment for serious crimes would not be abolished.
- AUGUST 2, 2006MoldovaDEATH PENALTY
MOLDOVA. PRESIDENT ENDORSES ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Moldova's president put his stamp of approval on a package of bills abolishing the death penalty in the former Soviet republic.
- JULY 29, 2006MoldovaDEATH PENALTY
MOLDOVA. MOLDOVA RATIFIES CONVENTIONS OUTLAWING DEATH PENALTY
Moldova assumed an international obligation not to apply the death penalty.
- JULY 21, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. GOVERNMENT WILL BACK UN MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
“If I had to choose a parameter to show man’s progress towards a more just society, it would have to be that of the death penalty,” stated President of the Senate of the Italian Republic Franco Marini, participating at the presentation of Hands Off Cain’s
- JULY 17, 2006MoldovaDEATH PENALTY
MOLDOVA. EU WELCOMES COMPLETE ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY IN MOLDOVA
the European Union issued the following common foreign and security policy statement:
- JUNE 29, 2006MoldovaDEATH PENALTY
MOLDOVA. PARLIAMENT EXLUDES DEATH PENALTY FROM CONSTITUTION
Moldova's parliament unanimously supported the definitive exclusion from the country's Constitution of Paragraph 3 of Article 24 allowing the use of death penalty in exceptional cases.
- JUNE 28, 2006RussiaDEATH PENALTY
RUSSIA. MOST RUSSIANS AGAINST ABOLISHMENT OF DEATH PENALTY, SPEAKER
Russia has not formally abolished the death penalty because such a move would not get the support of the majority of the population, the speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament said.
- JUNE 14, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
ITALY. HANDS OFF CAIN WELCOMES FOREIGN MINISTER’S COMMITMENT IN ABOLISHMENT OF DEATH PENALTY
Hands Off Cain appreciates the announcement made today by Italy’s Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema who, whilst expounding the guidelines for Italy’s foreign policy, reaffirmed Italy’s commitments for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide.
- JUNE 14, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. EVANGELICALS TO ABANDON ARROYO OVER ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
a Catholic Church prelate said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may lose the support of the Philippine Council for Evangelical Churches (PCEC) and other religious groups and organizations in favour of capital punishment should she approve the abolition o
- JUNE 8, 2006PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. BISHOPS LAUD CONGRESS FOR REPEAL OF DEATH PENALTY
the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBPC) lauded the move of Congress to abolish the death penalty, revealed CBCP President and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo.
- JUNE 7, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HANDS OFF CAIN. HOC WELCOMES THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE PHILIPPINES
Hands Off Cain welcomes the news that Philippine law makers voted to abolish the death penalty.
- JUNE 7, 2006South AfricaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH AFRICA. CALLS FOR THE RETURN OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
leaders from political parties such as the Freedom Front Plus, the Christian Democratic Party and the Pro-Death Penalty Party were reportedly united in one cause: reinstating capital punishment in South Africa.
- JUNE 5, 2006GhanaDEATH PENALTY
GHANA. DEPUTY AG DESIGNATE AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
the nominee for the position of deputy Attorney-General and minister for justice, Kwame Osei Prempeh, said he did not subscribe to the death penalty as punishment for those convicted under Ghana’s laws.
- MAY 29, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. ‘FROM MORATORIUM TO THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY’
the seminar entitled “Kazakhstan from the Moratorium on Death Penalty Toward the Adoption of the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR” took place in the country’s capital Almaty.
- MAY 26, 2006ItalyDEATH PENALTY
KAZAKHSTAN. HANDS OFF CAIN WILL ATTEND THE MEETING ON THE ABOLITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
experts from 8 countries will convene in Almaty on Monday, May 29, to attend the Coordination meeting of NGOs “Kazakhstan from the Moratorium on Death Penalty Toward the Adoption of the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR”.