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
JULY 3, 2025VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: 11 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
The Hanoi People's Court sentenced two suspended police officers to death for transporting drugs and "assisting and covering up" in the trafficking of nearly 140 kg of narcotics.
- JUNE 26, 2025ItalyDEATH PENALTY
2025 WORLD DRUG DAY
HoC signs the collective statement
JUNE 24, 2025VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: DEATH PENALTIES HANDED TO THREE DRUG TRAFFICKERS
A court in southern Vietnam has sentenced three drug traffickers to death for smuggling and selling more than 50 kilos of heroin and synthetic drugs, state media reported on June 18, 2025.
JUNE 24, 2025Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 37 ETHIOPIANS AMONG SCORES OF FOREIGN NATIONALS AT ‘IMMINENT RISK’ OF EXECUTION
At least 37 Ethiopian men are facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia for drug-related offences, according to
JUNE 23, 2025ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: FORMER NATIONAL POLITICAL ADVISER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR CORRUPTION
Liu Yuejin, a former national political adviser, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting bribes of more than 121 million yuan ($16.83 million), a court in Fujian province announced on June 23, 2025.
JUNE 22, 2025IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: DEATH AND LIFE SENTENCES ISSUED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A court in Najaf, southern Iraq, on June 22, 2025 handed down death and life sentences to four individuals convicted of drug trafficking.
JUNE 17, 2025SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: DRUG TRAFFICKER, 58, AVOIDS DEATH PENALTY BY 0.01G, SENTENCED TO 31 YEARS’ JAIL
A 58-year-old man has been sentenced to 31 years’ jail in Singapore over drug trafficking offences that saw him avoid the death penalty by 0.01g, The Straits Times reported on June 12, 2025.
JUNE 10, 2025IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Peyman Jalalian executed in Isfahan on June 10
MAY 31, 2025United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Trump pardons Larry Hoover, notorious drug kingpins
Even as he escalates U.S. drug war rhetoric
MAY 19, 2025IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - A woman, Setareh Taherlou, executed in Damghan on May 19
MAY 7, 2025IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Jafar Pourassadi executed in Rasht on May 7
MAY 4, 2025Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 100 PEOPLE EXECUTED IN 2025 SO FAR
Saudi Arabia executed two people convicted of terrorism related charges, the interior ministry said on May 3, 2025, bringing the total number of executions carried out this year to at least 100, according to an AFP tally.
- APRIL 28, 2025VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: 9 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SMUGGLING 91 KG OF DRUGS FROM CAMBODIA
Nine individuals received death sentences on April 26, 2025 for their roles in a major drug trafficking ring, which smuggled 91 kilograms of drugs hidden inside air purifiers and motorbikes from Cambodia into Vietnam.
- APRIL 15, 2025Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: AFGHAN MAN EXECUTED IN MECCA FOR SMUGGLING HEROIN
Saudi Arabia's interior ministry announced on April 13, 2025 the execution of Afghan national Badshah Qul Suleimani in the Mecca region, after he was convicted of attempting to smuggle heroin into the kingdom.
APRIL 9, 2025IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
The Central Criminal Court on April 8, 2025 sentenced a drug dealer to death for the crime of trafficking in narcotic substances.
- APRIL 8, 2025IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 2 Women and 3 Men executed in Mashhad on April 8
2 Unk women and Mohammadreza Damideh, Amirahmad Sanayi, Sajad Barahouyi
APRIL 3, 2025Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: PERSON SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER HEROIN POSSESSION
The Colombo High Court on April 3, 2025 sentenced to death a person who was found guilty of being in the possession of over 16 grams of heroin and drug trafficking.
MARCH 31, 2025MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: 5 INDIAN NATIONALS GET DEATH PENALTY CONVERTED TO 30 YEARS’ JAIL FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Malaysia’s Court of Appeal has commuted the death sentences of five Indian nationals to 30 years in prison, finding them guilty on two counts of drug trafficking at a plantation in Rantau, Negeri Sembilan, seven years ago, Free Malaysia Today reported on
MARCH 27, 2025ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: METHAMPHETAMINE PRODUCER EXECUTED AFTER MASSIVE BATCH SEIZURE
The Intermediate People's Court of China’s Linyang City has confirmed the execution of a death sentence for a man convicted of producing and trafficking 200 kg of methamphetamine, Caliber.az reported on March 23, 2025.
- MARCH 20, 2025CanadaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA EXECUTED FOUR CANADIANS FOR DRUG CRIMES, SAYS OTTAWA
Four Canadians were executed in China on drug-related charges earlier this year, Canadian authorities confirmed on March 19, 2025.
MARCH 11, 2025EthiopiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: MINISTRY PROVIDES LEGAL AID FOR INDONESIAN ON DEATH ROW IN ETHIOPIA
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has vowed to provide legal aid to Linda Yuliana, an Indonesian citizen facing the death penalty in Ethiopia after being convicted in a drug smuggling case.
MARCH 9, 2025VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: KENYAN WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING 2 KG OF DRUGS
A Kenyan woman in Ho Chi Minh City was sentenced to death for trafficking over 2 kg of drugs through Tan Son Nhat Airport.
FEBRUARY 26, 2025IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Basra Criminal Court issued a death sentence against a drug dealer on February 25, 2025.
FEBRUARY 18, 2025Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SOMALI NATIONAL, SAUDI CITIZEN EXECUTED FOR HASHISH TRAFFICKING, MURDER
Saudi authorities executed a Somali national convicted of drug smuggling and a Saudi citizen found guilty of murder, the Ministry of Interior announced on February 16, 2025.
- FEBRUARY 6, 2025FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRENCHMAN ATLAOUI RETURNS TO PARIS AFTER REPRIEVE FROM DEATH ROW IN INDONESIA
A Frenchman reprieved after 18 years on death row in Indonesia for alleged drug offences landed back in France on February 5, 2025, an airport source said.
- FEBRUARY 3, 2025IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: NINE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council announced that the Central Criminal Court has sentenced nine Iraqi drug traffickers to death after convicting them of smuggling and distributing illicit substances across the country, Kurdistan24 reported on January 29, 202
JANUARY 25, 2025SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: MAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Singapore carried out on January 23, 2025 the hanging of a convicted drug trafficker.
- DECEMBER 31, 2024Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: AT LEAST 338 PEOPLE EXECUTED IN 2024
Saudi Arabia carried out at least 338 executions in 2024, sharply up on the 170 recorded in 2023 and the highest number in decades, according to an AFP tally of official reports.
DECEMBER 30, 2024VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: HCMC COURT SENTENCES 27 TO DEATH IN DRUG TRAFFICKING CASE
The HCMC People's Court sentenced a Vietnamese drug lord and her 26 subordinates to death on December 27, 2024 for drug trafficking
DECEMBER 23, 2024United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - List of 37 commuted by Biden