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
- JULY 4, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
The Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) called on Nigeria's...
The Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) called on Nigeria's Federal Government to abolish the death penalty and fashion a legislation that would protect and safeguard lives in accordance with acceptable international norms
- JUNE 29, 2002BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Belarus's opposition parties intends to act together...
Belarus's opposition parties intends to act together in the event the government calls a national referendum to extend Belarusian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka's presidential term
- JUNE 24, 2002SlovakiaDEATH PENALTY
Real Slovak National Party (PSNS) boss Jan Slota criticized...
Real Slovak National Party (PSNS) boss Jan Slota criticized Slovakia's decision to sign a protocol No
- JUNE 21, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said that they cannot...
Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said that they cannot refrain from taking up the abolition of death sentence by saying that this issue was among medium term commitments
- JUNE 19, 2002KazakhstanDEATH PENALTY
Human rights activists are calling for the soonest...
Human rights activists are calling for the soonest introduction of a moratorium on the death penalty and a further abolition of it in Kazakhstan
- JUNE 17, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that True Path Party...
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said that True Path Party (DYP) leader Tansu Ciller was standing in the way of Turkey abolishing the death penalty
- JUNE 13, 2002JapanDEATH PENALTY
The European Parliament approved a resolution calling...
The European Parliament approved a resolution calling on the parliaments of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to intensify their efforts for a rapid abolition of the death penalty and for the introduction of a moratorium on executions
- JUNE 13, 2002TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
The European Parliament approved a resolution calling...
The European Parliament approved a resolution calling on the parliaments of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to intensify their efforts for a rapid abolition of the death penalty and for the introduction of a moratorium on executions
- JUNE 13, 2002South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
The European Parliament approved a resolution calling...
The European Parliament approved a resolution calling on the parliaments of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to intensify their efforts for a rapid abolition of the death penalty and for the introduction of a moratorium on executions
- JUNE 3, 2002NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Nigeria's Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) appealed...
Nigeria's Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) appealed to Abia State Governor Orji Kalu to exercise his prerogative of mercy for four Nigerians whose death sentence was recently affirmed by the Supreme Court
- JUNE 3, 2002JapanDEATH PENALTY
A group of lawmakers seeking to abolish the death penalty...
A group of lawmakers seeking to abolish the death penalty started discussions on a new set of rules for imprisonment that would eliminate parole for prisoners serving life sentences
- MAY 30, 2002BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The Belarussian House of Representatives began hearings...
The Belarussian House of Representatives began hearings on the repeal of death penalty
- MAY 30, 2002BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Belarusian Foreign Minister Mikhail Khvastow said that...
Belarusian Foreign Minister Mikhail Khvastow said that he favours the idea of abandoning the death penalty, but stressed that the immediate abolition of capital punishment in Belarus would be premature
- MAY 30, 2002BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The abolition of the death penalty in Belarus is "is...
The abolition of the death penalty in Belarus is "is predetermined by our desire to join the Council of Europe" the head of the Belarusian Constitutional Court, Ryhor Vasilevich, said during debates in the National Assembly's House of Representatives [low
- MAY 30, 2002BelarusDEATH PENALTY
The process of abolishing capital punishment in the...
The process of abolishing capital punishment in the country is by no means straightforward, said Vladimir Konoplyov, deputy chairman of the Belarussian House of Representatives
- MAY 29, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
One of Turkey's most influential business groups, TUSIAD,...
One of Turkey's most influential business groups, TUSIAD, placed full-page advertisements in national newspapers calling on politicians not to squander the opportunity of joining the European Union
- MAY 29, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The Turkish army is willing to accept the abolition...
The Turkish army is willing to accept the abolition of the death penalty on condition that the government ensure a life term for jailed Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan
- MAY 28, 2002JapanDEATH PENALTY
The Conference sponsored by the Council of Europe on...
The Conference sponsored by the Council of Europe on "Justice and the Rights of Man in the observer countries of the CoE: the abolition of the death penalty", just come to an end in Tokyo, was attended by the Minister of Justice, Mrs
- MAY 24, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
A survey published in Friday's Sabah newspaper showed...
A survey published in Friday's Sabah newspaper showed that in response to the question of whether Turkey should join the EU, 32
- MAY 16, 2002Council of EuropeDEATH PENALTY
The Council of Europe does not make compromises with...
The Council of Europe does not make compromises with anyone on the abolition of the death penalty, the head of the Council of Europe's monitoring group, Pietro Ercole Ago, said at a press conference in Yerevan
- MAY 16, 2002ArmeniaDEATH PENALTY
The Council of Europe does not make compromises with...
The Council of Europe does not make compromises with anyone on the abolition of the death penalty, the head of the Council of Europe's monitoring group, Pietro Ercole Ago, said at a press conference in Yerevan
- MAY 16, 2002MaliDEATH PENALTY
The Malian government has adopted a bill suspending...
The Malian government has adopted a bill suspending the death sentence for two years
- MAY 12, 2002PakistanDEATH PENALTY
The stoning-to-death verdict, delivered against a young...
The stoning-to-death verdict, delivered against a young woman, Zafran Bibi, in Kohat by a civil court that found her guilty of adultery, could ironically lead to changes being brought about in some Islamic laws in Pakistan
- MAY 10, 2002ArmeniaDEATH PENALTY
Armenia should exercise maximum caution in its approach...
Armenia should exercise maximum caution in its approach to the issue of abolishing the death penalty, the Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Tigran Torosyan told reporters at the National Press Club
- MAY 7, 2002PakistanDEATH PENALTY
After winning a recent presidential referendum, Pakistan's...
After winning a recent presidential referendum, Pakistan's Gen
- MAY 6, 2002RussiaDEATH PENALTY
Russia would vote in favor of the abolition of capital...
Russia would vote in favor of the abolition of capital punishment if all other countries followed suit, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko told Interfax
- MAY 3, 2002Council of EuropeDEATH PENALTY
European states tightened a ban on capital punishment,...
European states tightened a ban on capital punishment, agreeing to rule out its use in times of war, the Council of Europe said
- MAY 2, 2002PakistanDEATH PENALTY
Nearly 20 female activists protesting the sentencing...
Nearly 20 female activists protesting the sentencing of a raped woman to death by stoning under Islamic laws scuffled with police in the Pakistani capital Islamabad
- APRIL 25, 2002BahamasDEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International called on English-speaking Caribbean...
Amnesty International called on English-speaking Caribbean nations to abandon the death penalty
- APRIL 22, 2002RussiaDEATH PENALTY
Russia is ready to join the convention on the abolition...
Russia is ready to join the convention on the abolition of the death penalty, Federation Council speaker Sergey Mironov said in Strasbourg taking part in a PACE [Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe] session