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 31, 2002New MexicoDEATH PENALTY
Representative Gail Beam introduced a bill that would...
Representative Gail Beam introduced a bill that would repeal the New Mexico's capital-punishment law
- JANUARY 28, 2002ThailandDEATH PENALTY
The coalition whips rejected two draft amendments to...
The coalition whips rejected two draft amendments to the Penal Code in regard to international terrorism and the abolition of the death penalty for minors
- JANUARY 21, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The rightwing National Action Party (MHP) is openly...
The rightwing National Action Party (MHP) is openly hostile to some the human rights reforms which are a precondition for starting talks on joining the European Union including a ban on the death penalty, a medium-term step agreed by Turkey with the EU
- JANUARY 17, 2002JapanDEATH PENALTY
An inter-party group of lawmakers calling for the abolition...
An inter-party group of lawmakers calling for the abolition of the death penalty in Japan visited Justice Minister Mayumi Moriyama to protest the execution of two death-row inmates in late December 2001
- JANUARY 13, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China, which executes more people than the rest of...
China, which executes more people than the rest of the world put together, held its first public discussion of the death penalty, where legal experts called for the abolition of the capital punishment
- JANUARY 8, 2002TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
Taiwan's Justice Ministry hailed the abolishment of...
Taiwan's Justice Ministry hailed the abolishment of a law that provided for the death penalty for kidnapping, gang robbery and other violent crimes as a crucial step that might lead to the scrapping of capital punishment within three years
- JANUARY 8, 2002TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
Taiwan's parliament decided to abolish the Retribution...
Taiwan's parliament decided to abolish the Retribution Act for Bandits to better protect the human rights of Taiwanese people, including the scrapping of compulsory death sentencing for various violent crimes
- JANUARY 7, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the coalition's...
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the coalition's senior partner MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) Devlet Bahceli said the MHP backs the execution of death sentences in terror crimes
- JANUARY 7, 2002LatviaDEATH PENALTY
The Latvian Cabinet of Ministers' committee approved...
The Latvian Cabinet of Ministers' committee approved amendments to several laws in order to harmonize these laws with the international protocol aimed at the abolition of the death penalty
- JANUARY 3, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said capital punishment...
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit said capital punishment would be lifted and that he did not have any doubts about that issue
- JANUARY 1, 2002LatviaDEATH PENALTY
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish...
On April 15, 1999, Parliament (64-15) voted to abolish the death penalty
- JANUARY 1, 2002FijiDEATH PENALTY
Fiji abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes...
Fiji abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 1979; the last execution was carried out in 1964
- JANUARY 1, 2002IsraelDEATH PENALTY
The country has been abolitionist for ordinary crimes...
The country has been abolitionist for ordinary crimes since 1954
- JANUARY 1, 2002AlbaniaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished on December 10, 1999...
The death penalty was abolished on December 10, 1999 as the Constitutional Court considered it to be against the spirit of the new Constitution approved by a popular referendum on November 22, 1998
- JANUARY 1, 2002MoldovaDEATH PENALTY
Moldova abolished the death penalty in December 1995
Moldova abolished the death penalty in December 1995
- JANUARY 1, 2002FranceDEATH PENALTY
France has been abolitionist since 1981
France has been abolitionist since 1981
- JANUARY 1, 2002CyprusDEATH PENALTY
Cyprus abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes...
Cyprus abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 1983
- JANUARY 1, 2002SwedenDEATH PENALTY
Sweden abolished capital punishment in 1921
Sweden abolished capital punishment in 1921
- JANUARY 1, 2002San MarinoDEATH PENALTY
San Marino abolished the death penalty for ordinary...
San Marino abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes in 1848, fully abolished it in 1865, and the last execution took place way back in 1468
- JANUARY 1, 2002PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
A new Constitution abolished the death penalty in 1987,...
A new Constitution abolished the death penalty in 1987, but gave Congress the option of restoring it for "heinous" crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2002GreeceDEATH PENALTY
Greece passed a law in 1993 which abolished the death...
Greece passed a law in 1993 which abolished the death penalty as a punishment applicable to offences defined in the Greek Penal Code
- JANUARY 1, 2002MaltaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty was abolished in 1971 for ordinary...
The death penalty was abolished in 1971 for ordinary crimes in the criminal code
- JANUARY 1, 2002SerbiaDEATH PENALTY
The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is composed of the...
The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is composed of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro, together with the province of Kosovo which is currently under the administration of the UN
- JANUARY 1, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty for murder was abolished in Britain...
The death penalty for murder was abolished in Britain on December 18, 1969
- JANUARY 1, 2002HungaryDEATH PENALTY
Hungary has been abolitionist since 1990, following...
Hungary has been abolitionist since 1990, following a decision by the Constitutional Court
- JANUARY 1, 2002ItalyDEATH PENALTY
The Constitution approved in 1948 abolished the death...
The Constitution approved in 1948 abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2002RussiaDEATH PENALTY
In 1996, the then President Boris Yeltsin imposed a...
In 1996, the then President Boris Yeltsin imposed a moratorium on the use of capital punishment when Russia joined the Council of Europe on February 28 of that year
- JANUARY 1, 2002LibyaDEATH PENALTY
A large number of offenses, including political offenses...
A large number of offenses, including political offenses and "economic crimes," are punishable by death
- JANUARY 1, 2002United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
The abolition of the death penalty begun in 1965 when...
The abolition of the death penalty begun in 1965 when hanging stopped being the punishment for murder
- JANUARY 1, 2002TürkiyeDEATH PENALTY
The abolishment of death penalty continues occupying...
The abolishment of death penalty continues occupying the political agenda