The death penalty for drug offences
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International law restricts the death penalty, where it still exists, to the most serious crimes, and United Nations bodies have made clear more than once that drug offences do not belong to that category. Despite this, some states go on sentencing people to death and executing them for trafficking or possession of narcotics: in certain years these executions are a substantial share of the world total.
This page collects the news on death sentences and executions for drug offences.
Latest news
JUNE 18, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR ‘KUDU THILAN’
Dewage Thusitha Chamara alias ‘Kudu Thilan’ who was found guilty for possessing and peddling over 270 grams of heroin, was on 18 June 2020 sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court.
- JUNE 16, 2020ChinaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIA VOICES CONCERN OVER MAN SENTENCED TO DIE IN CHINA
Australia’s prime minister said on 16 June 2020 that his government is “very sad and concerned” by China’s sentencing of an Australian man to death for drug trafficking.
JUNE 15, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: FIVE DRUG TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court on 12 June 2020 handed down death sentences on five Vietnamese citizens charged with illegally trading and trafficking drugs in Vietnam.
JUNE 14, 2020ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: AUSTRALIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
An Australian man on 10 June 2020 was sentenced to death in China on drug charges, federal government said, a development that could further escalate tensions between the two countries.
JUNE 10, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DEATH PENALTY IS CONSTITUTIONAL, FEDERAL COURT TOLD
The Federal Court was told on 9 June 2020 that amendments to make the death penalty mandatory for cases involving drug trafficking and murder were constitutional as the legislature was empowered to do so.
MAY 23, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: SEVEN DRUG TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
An appeal court in Vietnam's southern Ho Chi Minh City has handed down the capital punishment to seven drug traffickers for smuggling nearly 400 heroin cakes from Laos to the country, local media reported on 22 May 2020.
MAY 18, 2020SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: DRUG OFFENDER GETS DEATH SENTENCE VIA REMOTE HEARING
A Malaysian debt collector, who was implicated by two drug couriers as the mastermind behind a heroin transaction, was sentenced to hang in Singapore on 15 May 2020.
MAY 16, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: THREE GET DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men in central Vietnam – one in Ha Tinh and two in Nghe An – were awarded death sentences on 15 May 2020 for drug trafficking.
- MAY 11, 2020North KoreaDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY PREVAILS IN NORTH KOREA, WHITE PAPER SAYS
Capital punishment is still widespread in North Korea, but public executions and other forms of severe punishment could be receding, according to a South Korean report.
MAY 3, 2020DEATH PENALTYIRAN: VAHED ROSTAMZADEH EXECUTED IN HAMADAN PRISON ON DRUG CHARGES
According to Iran Human Rights sources, Vahed Rostamzadeh who was sentenced to death on “drug” charges, was executed in Hamadan Central Prison on 30 April 2020.
- APRIL 30, 2020IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Vahed Rostamzadeh was executed in Hamadan Central Prison on April 30.
IRAN - Vahed Rostamzadeh was executed in Hamadan Central Prison on April 30.
APRIL 28, 2020IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: BINTAN DISTRICT COURT HANDS DEATH SENTENCE TO THREE DRUG SMUGGLERS
The Tanjung Pinang District Court on 27 April 2020 awarded death sentence to Syahrul bin Tue, Zaihiddir alias Kam bin Ajis, and Ahmad Jufri bin Zainuddin for smuggling 118 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine into Indonesia on 30 August 2019.
APRIL 23, 2020SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: MAN ESCAPES GALLOWS AFTER BEING CLEARED OF DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE BY COURT OF APPEAL
A 27-year-old man who was originally handed the death penalty in Singapore for driving his friend to pick up drugs, escaped the gallows on 23 April 2020 after he was cleared by the Court of Appeal.
APRIL 15, 2020FloridaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Joseph Edward Williams, released amid coronavirus concerns, is arrested on a murder charge.
USA - Florida. Joseph Edward Williams, released amid coronavirus concerns, is arrested on a murder charge.
APRIL 8, 2020IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - IHR Report: Executions for Drug Related Charges In 2019.
IRAN - IHR Report: Executions for Drug Related Charges In 2019.
- APRIL 6, 2020SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE: COURT OF APPEAL ACQUITS CONVICT ON DEATH ROW OF TWO CAPITAL DRUG CHARGES
Singapore's Court of Appeal on 31 March 2020 acquitted a convicted drug trafficker on death row of two capital drug charges and sentenced him to eight years' jail instead for drug possession.
- MARCH 17, 2020SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING; HIS BROTHER GETS LIFE IMPRISONMENT
A man was sentenced to hang on 21 February 2020 by the Singapore High Court on drug-related charges, while in the same case his brother was sentenced to life in prison.
MARCH 14, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: SIX HEROIN TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Carrying 162 kg of drugs, six smugglers were awarded capital punishment in the northern Cao Bang Province on 9 March 2020.
MARCH 12, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: INDONESIAN WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING METH
A Tay Ninh Province court on 9 March 2020 sentenced an Indonesian woman to death for trafficking 6.7 kg of methamphetamine over the border from Cambodia.
FEBRUARY 27, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A 31-year-old Vietnamese woman on 25 February 2020 was sentenced to death for trafficking nearly 8 kg of methamphetamine, Vietnam News Agency reported.
FEBRUARY 24, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: DEATH PENALTY UPHELD FOR 10 DRUG TRAFFICKERS IN HANOI
Ten people involved in a drug ring had the death penalty upheld in a Hanoi court on 18 February 2020, according to Vietnam News.
FEBRUARY 17, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DRUG TRAFFICKING ACCUSED SENTENCED TO DEATH
A 49-year-old man on 14 February 2020 was sentenced to death by the High Court in Tawau for drug trafficking.
- JANUARY 30, 2020IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA HANDS DRUG-DEALING CONVICT DEATH SENTENCE
An Indonesian court has sentenced to death an inmate for running a drug-trafficking operation from behind bars.
- JANUARY 28, 2020LaosDEATH PENALTY
LAOS: EIGHT MEMBERS OF MR. X DRUG RING SENTENCED TO DEATH
Authorities in Laos last week sentenced eight people to death for their roles in connection with the major Southeast Asian drug ring run by drug kingpin Xaysana Keopimpha, better known as Mr. X., Radio Free Asia reported on 27 January 2020.
JANUARY 23, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION OF DRUG SMUGGLER OF AMPHETAMINE PILL IN TABUK
The Ministry of Interior on 14 January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of Muammar Al-Qadhafi Muhammad Omar Al-Qenawy, an Egyptian, in the Tabuk region for smuggling banned amphetamine pills.
- JANUARY 23, 2020IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Javad Alilou was hanged on January 23, at the prison of Bandar Abbas.
IRAN - Javad Alilou was hanged on January 23, at the prison of Bandar Abbas.
JANUARY 22, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION OF A DRUG TRAFFICKER IN AL-JOUF
The Ministry of Interior on 14 January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of Abdul-Razzaq Hammoud Mahmoud, a Syrian national, in the Al-Jawf region, for smuggling a quantity of banned amphetamine pills.
JANUARY 17, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SUPREME COURT ORDERS RETRIAL OF EGYPTIAN ENGINEER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has ordered the retrial of Egyptian engineer Ali Abul-Qasim, who has been sentenced to death for smuggling and trafficking drugs in the kingdom, Ahram Online reported on 15 January 2020.
- JANUARY 16, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION OF TWO SMUGGLERS OF AMPHETAMINE PILLS IN TABUK
The Ministry of Interior on 2nd January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of two prisoners for smuggling a quantity of banned amphetamine pills.
- JANUARY 6, 2020IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Ali Ashouri was executed at Isfahan Prison on January 6, 2020
IRAN - Ali Ashouri was executed at Isfahan Prison on January 6, 2020