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
- APRIL 20, 2005AlbaniaDEATH PENALTY
Albania was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
Albania was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
- APRIL 20, 2005AzerbaijanDEATH PENALTY
Azerbaijan was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
Azerbaijan was a cosponsor of the resolution on the death penalty at the 61st UN Commission on Human Rights.
- APRIL 14, 2005UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA. ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY, PRISONS CHIEF PLEADS
Joseph Etima, the outgoing Commissioner General of Uganda Prisons, urged the Constitutional Court to declare the death penalty illegal.
- APRIL 14, 2005United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA. LETHAL INJECTION EXECUTION 'CRUEL', RESEARCHERS
American researchers have called for a halt to lethal injection, the most common method of execution in the United States, because it is not always a humane and painless way to die.
- APRIL 13, 2005UzbekistanDEATH PENALTY
UZBEKISTAN. EU CALLS ON TASHKENT TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the European Union called on the Uzbek government to abolish the death penalty, European Commission Deputy Director General for External Relations Michael Leigh told a press conference in Tashkent.
- APRIL 9, 2005UzbekistanDEATH PENALTY
UZBEKISTAN. PRESSURE TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY GROWING - WEB SITE EDITORIAL
“According to the Uzbek law-enforcement agencies, 62 convicts were put to death in the country in 2004. As is known, the only two despotic countries in the CIS, Uzbekistan and Belarus, favour keeping the death penalty.
- APRIL 6, 2005South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH KOREA. STATE RIGHTS BODY SUPPORTS ENDING DEATH PENALTY
South Korea's human rights watchdog said it supported a bill before parliament calling for the abolition of the death penalty.
- APRIL 6, 2005GuatemalaDEATH PENALTY
GUATEMALA. DEATH PENALTY UNDER REVIEW
it was reported that Guatemala, one of the last Latin American nations with capital punishment, was considering doing away with it.
- MARCH 29, 2005South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH KOREA. JUSTICE MINISTER OPPOSES ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
South Korea’s Justice Minister, Kim Seung-kyu, voiced opposition to terminating capital punishment. “Although the life of a criminal is important, the lives of victims are also important,” he told reporters.
- MARCH 28, 2005South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH KOREA. HUMAN RIGHTS PANEL TO ADVISE REPEAL OF DEATH PENALTY
members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) reached a general consensus that the South Korean government should abrogate capital punishment.
- MARCH 23, 2005TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN. MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY RECOMMENDED
before complete and unconditional abolition of the death penalty is enshrined in the law, the government of Taiwan could consider suspending the use of the death penalty as an interim measure, said Nicholas Howen, secretary-general of the International Co
- MARCH 22, 2005ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. ACADEMICS CALL FOR AN END TO THE DEATH PENALTY
academics and civic groups in Thailand called for the abolition of capital punishment arguing that curing social problems and bringing criminal masterminds to justice would be much more effective.
- MARCH 21, 2005United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA. CATHOLIC BISHOPS CAMPAIGN AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
US Catholic bishops launched a campaign against the death penalty and presented new data suggesting support for capital punishment among American Catholics had fallen sharply in recent years to below 50 percent. Washington Archbishop Theodore McCarrick to
- MARCH 18, 2005MexicoDEATH PENALTY
MEXICO. SENATE VOTES TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the Mexican Senate voted overwhelmingly to explicitly forbid the death penalty, which had not been imposed in the country since 1961.
- MARCH 14, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA CANNOT ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY: WEN
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said that China "cannot" abolish the death penalty due to the country's "national conditions," but outlined hoped for regulations on how the state imposes capital punishment.
- MARCH 4, 2005CroatiaDEATH PENALTY
CROATIA. REPRESENTATIVES OF HANDS OFF CAIN AND OF THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY VISIT THE COUNTRY'S PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC
the President of Croatia Stjepan Mesic gave his approval to the initiatives presented by Hands Off Cain and the Transnational Radical Party, engaged in bringing about a universal moratorium on executions, and gave his support to efforts for the obtainment
- MARCH 3, 2005CroatiaDEATH PENALTY
CROATIA. ROUND TABLE FOR RELAUNCH OF UN MORATORIUM
European states must work towards United Nations approval of an anti death penalty resolution.
- FEBRUARY 28, 2005New MexicoDEATH PENALTY
NEW MEXICO, USA. HOUSE PASSES DEATH PENALTY REPEAL
the House of New Mexico voted to abolish the death penalty in the state and replace it with a sentence of life without parole.
- FEBRUARY 23, 2005New MexicoDEATH PENALTY
a bill to abolish the death penalty in New Mexico flew through...
a bill to abolish the death penalty in New Mexico flew through...
- FEBRUARY 22, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
SPAIN. SENATE HEAD CALLS FOR UN MORATORIUM ON EXECUTIONS
Hands Off Cain presented the Spanish edition of its 2004 Report – the Death Penalty Worldwide at the Spanish senate in Madrid.
- FEBRUARY 17, 2005South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH KOREA. ASSEMBLY BEGINS DELIBERATION ON DEATH PENALTY FOR FIRST TIME
South Korea’s National Assembly commenced its first ever deliberation on a bill to abolish the controversial death penalty.
- FEBRUARY 15, 2005TajikistanDEATH PENALTY
rights activists welcomed the abolition of capital punishment in Tajikistan
rights activists welcomed the abolition of capital punishment in Tajikistan
- FEBRUARY 8, 2005ItalyDEATH PENALTY
during the 3rd congress of the Democrats of the Left...
during the 3rd congress of the Democrats of the Left...
- JANUARY 29, 2005Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTY
Lawyers Centre for Legal Assistance (LAWCLA) condemned...
Lawyers Centre for Legal Assistance (LAWCLA) condemned...
- JANUARY 28, 2005UgandaDEATH PENALTY
the court cannot abolish the death penalty because courts do not make laws...
the court cannot abolish the death penalty because courts do not make laws...
- JANUARY 28, 2005UzbekistanDEATH PENALTY
Uzbek President Islam Karimov said it needed at least 2-3 years to abolish the death penalty
Uzbek President Islam Karimov said it needed at least 2-3 years to abolish the death penalty
- JANUARY 25, 2005Sierra LeoneDEATH PENALTY
the Office of the President of Sierra Leone stated in a release that...
the Office of the President of Sierra Leone stated in a release that President Kabbah would not abolish the death penalty from the country's law book.
- JANUARY 1, 2005West VirginiaDEATH PENALTY
West Virginia abolished the death penalty in 1965
West Virginia abolished the death penalty in 1965
- JANUARY 1, 2005MinnesotaDEATH PENALTY
Minnesota abolished the death penalty in 1911
Minnesota abolished the death penalty in 1911
- JANUARY 1, 2005HawaiiDEATH PENALTY
Hawaii does not have the death penalty, having abolished...
Hawaii does not have the death penalty, having abolished it in 1956 before becoming a state