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
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 PENALTYSAUDI 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
- JANUARY 1, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Capital punishment remains for crimes
Capital punishment remains for crimes such as murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking, and sexual abuse of children.
- JANUARY 1, 2020SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, treason, offences against the President, illegal possession of arms, kidnapping and causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness.
Capital crimes are: murder, treason, offences against the President, illegal possession of arms, kidnapping and causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness.
- JANUARY 1, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
In Malaysia capital crimes include murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2020ThailandDEATH PENALTY
Under the Penal Code alone, the death sentence can be applied to 35 crimes
Under the Penal Code alone, the death sentence can be applied to 35 crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2020North KoreaDEATH PENALTY
North Korea denies holding any political prisoners.
North Korea denies holding any political prisoners.
- JANUARY 1, 2020BruneiDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is mandatory for murder
The death penalty is mandatory for murder
- JANUARY 1, 2020IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is applicable for murder..
The death penalty is applicable for murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2020LaosDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty in Laos is applied in cases of treason, murder and rape
The death penalty in Laos is applied in cases of treason, murder and rape
- JANUARY 1, 2020OmanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is provided for under the penal laws of the Sultanate of Oman, which make reference to Sharia law.
The death penalty is provided for under the penal laws of the Sultanate of Oman, which make reference to Sharia law.
- JANUARY 1, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law
DECEMBER 31, 2019VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: 6 MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING, KILLING STUDENT
A court in north-western Vietnam on 29 December 2019 sentenced six men to death for raping and murdering 22-year-old student Cao My Duyen in a case that shocked the country earlier this year.
DECEMBER 17, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR HEROIN PEDDLER
A youth was sentenced to death on 13 December 2019 by the Colombo High Court after being found guilty for possessing and peddling 25.77grams of heroin.
DECEMBER 13, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DRUG TRAFFICKER KALU THUSHARA SENTENCED TO DEATH
Drug trafficker “Kalu Thushara” was sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court on 10 December 2019.
DECEMBER 11, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: SUPREME COURT EXTENDS STAY ORDER AGAINST IMPLEMENTING DEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on 9 December 2019 extended the interim order staying the implementation of the death penalty on the prisoners who were sentenced to death for drug offenses until 20 March.
DECEMBER 9, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THREE GET DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men, including two Iranians, on 6 December 2019 were sent to the gallows by the High Court in George Town for trafficking methamphetamine into the country four years ago.
NOVEMBER 28, 2019VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: 11 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A Lang Son court sentenced 11 people to death on 27 November 2019 for trafficking 561 kg of heroin from Vietnam into China.
NOVEMBER 27, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: FEDERAL COURT ACQUITS AUSTRALIAN WOMAN FACING DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
An Australian woman sentenced to death for drug-trafficking in Malaysia was acquitted on 26 November 2019 after the Federal Court in Kuala Lumpur quashed her earlier conviction by a lower court.
NOVEMBER 26, 2019VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING 100 KG OF DRUGS
Four men were sentenced to death by a Lang Son Province court on 19 November 2019 for trafficking over 100 kg of drugs.
NOVEMBER 25, 2019SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: MALAYSIAN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A Malaysian, Abd Helmi Ab Halim, on 22 November 2019 was hanged at Changi Prison after having been convicted of drug trafficking in 2017.
NOVEMBER 22, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: ANDHRA PRADESH MAN GETS DEATH FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
A migrant worker from Srikakulam village in Andhra Pradesh has been sentenced to death by an Egyptian lower court for his alleged involvement in the smuggling of drugs, the New Indian Express reported on 22 November 2019.
NOVEMBER 14, 2019VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: 5 DRUG TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Five members of a transnational drug trafficking ring, including the 41-year-old Lao ringleader and four Vietnamese accomplices, were sentenced to death for smuggling 148 cakes of heroin, Vietnam News Agency reported on 14 November 2019.
NOVEMBER 13, 2019Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MAN CONVICTED FOR POSSESSING DRUGS SENTENCED TO DEATH
A person who was convicted for the possession of 200g 600mg of heroin was sentenced to death on 11 November 2019.
NOVEMBER 12, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: OFFICIAL SAYS 15,000 EXECUTED FOR DRUG OFFENSES SINCE 1979
The secretary of a religious watchdog office in Iran has admitted that since the establishment of the Islamic Republic 4 decades ago (1979), the authorities have executed 15,000 people for drug-related crimes.
NOVEMBER 8, 2019MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR TWO WOMEN IN PENANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
The High Court in George Town on 31 October 2019 sentenced to death two women after finding them guilty on a charge of trafficking in 294.9 grammes of drugs into the country three years ago.