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
MAY 30, 2013VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: SUPREME PEOPLE'S COURT CONFIRMS DEATH FOR CHINESE DRUG MULE
In Vietnam, the Supreme People’s Court upheld the death penalty handed down by a provincial
- MAY 24, 2013DelawareDEATH PENALTY
USA - Delaware. The Delaware Supreme Court reinstated the convictions and death sentence against Jermaine M. Wright
USA - Delaware. The Delaware Supreme Court reinstated the convictions and death sentence against Jermaine M. Wright
MAY 24, 2013LaosDEATH PENALTYLAOS: THREE DRUG TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
- MAY 20, 2013SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi authorities beheaded a Syrian man today after convicting him of drug trafficking, the
Saudi authorities beheaded a Syrian man today after convicting him of drug trafficking, the
MAY 9, 2013IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR PEOPLE HANGED IN SEMNAN PROVINCE
Four prisoners were hanged in Semnan Province (northern Iran) early this morning reported the Iranian state media.
MAY 8, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MAN BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi authorities beheaded a Pakistani man found guilty of smuggling drugs into the kingdom
- MAY 6, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA EXECUTES SYRIAN DRUG TRAFFICKER
Saudi authorities beheaded a Syrian man after he was convicted of drug trafficking, the interior
- APRIL 29, 2013IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SIX PEOPLE EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
six people have been executed recently in Iran for drug trafficking.
- APRIL 28, 2013MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
two friends were sentenced to death by the Malaysian High Court for trafficking
two friends were sentenced to death by the Malaysian High Court for trafficking
- APRIL 26, 2013IranDEATH PENALTY
The Iranian regime hanged 4 prisoners in the Central Prison
The Iranian regime hanged 4 prisoners in the Central Prison
APRIL 26, 2013IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EIGHT PRISONERS EXECUTED
At least eight people have been hanged in Iran in the last days.
- APRIL 22, 2013IranDEATH PENALTY
Two women were hanged in the Dizelabad prison of Kermanshah
Two women were hanged in the Dizelabad prison of Kermanshah
APRIL 10, 2013SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: DRUG TRAFFICKER ESCAPES DEATH SENTENCE UNDER AMENDED MISUSE OF DRUGS ACT
A 29-year-old man has escaped the gallows in Singapore for drug trafficking as he satisfied the
APRIL 9, 2013DenmarkDEATH PENALTYDENMARK STOPS AID TO IRAN’S FIGHT AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING
The Danish government has decided to cut its aids to Iran’s anti-drug program, say Danish
- APRIL 7, 2013EgyptDEATH PENALTY
three Seychellois were sentenced to death in Egypt for drug trafficking.
three Seychellois were sentenced to death in Egypt for drug trafficking.
MARCH 29, 2013MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: IRANIAN SISTERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Two Iranian sisters were sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia for trafficking
- MARCH 27, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: COURT SENTENCES 3 DRUG DEALERS TO DEATH, JAILS 18
A court in southeast China's Fujian Province said that it has sentenced three
- MARCH 15, 2013IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA RESUMES EXECUTIONS AFTER HIATUS
Indonesia put to death a Malawian drug trafficker, the government said, in the country's first execution for several years.
- MARCH 14, 2013QatarDEATH PENALTY
QATAR: DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO DEATH
In Qatar, a bench of the Doha Criminal Court has unanimously sentenced a drug trafficker to death
- MARCH 13, 2013NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Adam Abdullah Younes, a Nigerian, was beheaded in Riyadh, after being convicted of trafficking drugs into
Adam Abdullah Younes, a Nigerian, was beheaded in Riyadh, after being convicted of trafficking drugs into
MARCH 13, 2013United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: BRITON AND SYRIAN ON DEATH ROW ESCAPE EXECUTION AS SENTENCE COMMUTED
Two men sentenced to death for drug dealing had their sentence commuted to four years
- FEBRUARY 28, 2013IranDEATH PENALTY
The official website of the Iranian judiciary in Semnan reported that one prisoner
The official website of the Iranian judiciary in Semnan reported that one prisoner
FEBRUARY 28, 2013VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: CHINESE MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING 11KG OF NARCOTICS
In Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh City Supreme People's Court of Appeal rejected an
FEBRUARY 28, 2013IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE PRISONERS EXECUTED FOR DRUG-RELATED CHARGES
According to the official Iranian media five prisoners have been hanged in three different Iranian cities. All the prisoners are convicted of drug-related charges.
- FEBRUARY 27, 2013IranDEATH PENALTY
The official Iranian news agency IRNA reported that one prisoner was executed in the
The official Iranian news agency IRNA reported that one prisoner was executed in the
- FEBRUARY 24, 2013IranDEATH PENALTY
Four people were executed in two different Iranian cities for drug-related charges.
Four people were executed in two different Iranian cities for drug-related charges.
- FEBRUARY 23, 2013AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
IRAN REPORTEDLY HANGED AROUND 80 AFGHANS OVER DRUG SMUGGLING
According to reports at least 80 Afghan civilians have been hanged by Iran over drugs and opium smuggling charges.
- FEBRUARY 20, 2013IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED
Three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Dizelabad in Kermanshah (western Iran).
- FEBRUARY 19, 2013ChadDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: CHADIAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG CRIMES
In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Interior said Abdulkarim Ibrahim Mousa Abkar, a Chadian national, was executed in Makkah after being found guilty of dealing in cocaine for the second time.
FEBRUARY 18, 2013IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 14 PEOPLE HANGED
14 people have been hanged in Iran in the last days.