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
- NOVEMBER 19, 2014IndiaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA PARDONS INDIAN FISHERMEN ON DEATH ROW
Five Indian fishermen condemned to death for smuggling drugs into Sri Lanka will walk free after President
NOVEMBER 18, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MAN BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Syrian convicted of drug trafficking, official media said, bringing to 68 the number
- NOVEMBER 13, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI DRUG SMUGGLER BEHEADED
A man who was convicted of smuggling heroin in his intestines has become the seventh Pakistani beheaded
- NOVEMBER 7, 2014DEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO PAKISTANIS EXECUTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
Saudi Arabia beheaded two Pakistanis for drug smuggling between 5 and 6 November.
NOVEMBER 6, 2014IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: NEW HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTER AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
The minister who will advise Indonesia's new president on whether to grant clemency to 2 Australians says he's personally against the death penalty.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN SAYS NEARLY ALL EXECUTIONS DRUG-RELATED
Iran's top human rights official responded to UN criticism of the death penalty in his country by saying 93
OCTOBER 30, 2014IndiaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: DEATH FOR FIVE INDIAN FISHERMEN
The Colombo High Court awarded the death sentence to five Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by the Sri
- OCTOBER 28, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA CARRIES OUT 61ST EXECUTION OF 2014
Saudi Arabia beheaded two prisoners convicted of drug smuggling, raising to 61 the number of death sentences carried out in the kingdom this year, according to an AFP tally.
OCTOBER 28, 2014SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: MALAYSIAN DRUG TRAFFICKER ESCAPES DEATH PENALTY UNDER AMENDED LAWS
A 29-year-old Malaysian condemned to hang in 2009 for drug trafficking had his
OCTOBER 25, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE PRISONERS HANGED FOR DRUG-RELATED CHARGES
Five prisoners were hanged in the prison of Rasht (Northern Iran) in the morning, reported the official
- OCTOBER 23, 2014United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
UNITED KINGDOM: ‘AID FOR EXECUTIONS’ IN SPOTLIGHT AS PAKISTAN SET TO RESTART HANGINGS
Reprieve, the charity that campaigns against the death penalty, said Britain risks being “complicit in a gross
- OCTOBER 21, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 3 AFGHANS EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
At least three Afghans were hanged to death in Iran over drugs smuggling charges, Afghan officials said.
OCTOBER 18, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR PRISONERS HANGED IN RASHT
four men were executed for drug-related charges in the main prison of Rasht, reported the official website of
OCTOBER 8, 2014United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: DEATH PENALTY COMMUTED TO LIFE IN PRISON
The Dubai Court of Appeals has reduced the death sentence given by a lower court to a drug dealer to life
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2014VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: TWO PERSONS GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A court in the northern Son La province sentenced to death Tran Manh Hung and Nguyen Duc Trung for
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2014MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE: DEATH PENALTY FOR MALAYSIAN DRUG TRAFFICKER
A 27-year-old Malaysian who had earlier been found guilty of bringing into Singapore 22.24g of
SEPTEMBER 18, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI BEHEADED FOR HEROIN SMUGGLING
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani who attempted to smuggle heroin into the kingdom, the interior ministry
SEPTEMBER 18, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
four prisoners were hanged at the Central Prison of Bandar Abbas for drug trafficking, reported the official
SEPTEMBER 17, 2014DEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONERS HANGED IN QOM AND UROMIYEH CITIES
Four prisoners were hanged for drug trafficking in Iran in two days.
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
Hamid Ghanbari and Felid Ghasrik were hanged for drug trafficking in Uromiyeh prison, Iran.
Hamid Ghanbari and Felid Ghasrik were hanged for drug trafficking in Uromiyeh prison, Iran.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SYRIAN DRUG TRAFFICKER BEHEADED
A Syrian convicted of drug trafficking was beheaded in Saudi Arabia, the interior ministry said.
- SEPTEMBER 15, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
A prisoner identified as Ali was hanged for drug trafficking in Uromiyeh prison, in north western
A prisoner identified as Ali was hanged for drug trafficking in Uromiyeh prison, in north western
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: 3 BEHEADED FOR MURDER AND DRUG TRAFFICKING
A Saudi and an Iraqi convicted of murder and a Saudi convicted of drugs trafficking were beheaded in Riyadh, the interior ministry said.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE WOMAN AND ONE MAN HANGED FOR DRUG-RELATED CHARGES
A 60-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man were hanged in the prison of Rasht for drug trafficking, reported the Iranian State Broadcasting IRIB.
SEPTEMBER 10, 2014DEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: THREE PEOPLE BEHEADED IN KINGDOM'S LATEST EXECUTIONS
Saudi authorities beheaded three prisoners in the latest two days.
- SEPTEMBER 9, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani convicted of drug trafficking and one of its own citizens for murder, the
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani convicted of drug trafficking and one of its own citizens for murder, the
- AUGUST 18, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: THE WAVE OF EXECUTIONS CONTINUES, ANOTHER FOUR BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi Arabia beheaded four nationals from the same family in the city of Najran for drug trafficking, amid a surge in executions in the country since the end of Ramadan.
- AUGUST 14, 2014VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: 6 GET DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
- AUGUST 14, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO PEOPLE BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MURDER
- AUGUST 12, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SYRIAN DRUG TRAFFICKER BEHEADED IN AL-JAWF REGION