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
APRIL 4, 2012PakistanDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A Pakistani man has been executed in Saudi Arabia after being found guilty of drug trafficking.
- MARCH 30, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a Hong Kong man, Robert Shan Shiao-may and a Taiwanese man...
a Hong Kong man, Robert Shan Shiao-may and a Taiwanese man...
MARCH 29, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO MYANMAR WOMEN AND TWO LOCALS TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
In Malaysia, two Myanmar women and two Malaysian men were sentenced to death
- MARCH 26, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
a Chandigarh court, in India, awarded capital punishment to...
a Chandigarh court, in India, awarded capital punishment to...
MARCH 26, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: 860 PRISONERS UNDER DEATH SENTENCE
In Malaysia, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein told the Parliament that a total of 860 prisoners have been sentenced to death for various offences such as murder, drug trafficking, firearms offences and kidnapping up to 28 February 2012.
MARCH 19, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: IRANIAN WOMAN GETS DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING IN 1.76KG OF SYABU
An Iranian woman was sent to the gallows by the High Court in Malaysia for
- MARCH 14, 2012United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
the UAE’s top court annulled death sentences against eight...
the UAE’s top court annulled death sentences against eight Asian men convicted of smuggling a large amount of drugs into the country, newspapers reported.
- MARCH 13, 2012IranDEATH PENALTY
Three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Qazvin (Ghazvin), west of Tehran.
Three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Qazvin (Ghazvin), west of Tehran.
MARCH 7, 2012TaiwanDEATH PENALTYCHINA: 3 TAIWANESE EXECUTED IN XIAMEN FOR TRAFFICKING 357KG DRUGS
Three Taiwanese drug traffickers who were given the death penalty by the Xiamen
MARCH 6, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: IRANIAN TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
In Malaysia An Iranian was sentenced to death by the Shah Alam High Court to
MARCH 5, 2012SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: TRAFFICKER ON DEATH ROW ESCAPES GALLOWS
In Singapore, the fate of a drug trafficker who was on death row has taken a second
- MARCH 2, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a man after he was convicted of drug trafficking
Saudi Arabia beheaded a man after he was convicted of drug trafficking
- FEBRUARY 24, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a man convicted of trafficking drugs in the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia beheaded a man convicted of trafficking drugs in the kingdom.
- FEBRUARY 22, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: TRIO WHO DEALT DRUGS GIVEN DEATH SENTENCES
Three drug dealers in a gang of five were given death penalties for selling and transporting
- FEBRUARY 14, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
a Myanmar national was sentenced to death by hanging by the High Court
a Myanmar national was sentenced to death by hanging by the High Court
- FEBRUARY 14, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO DRUG TRAFFICKERS BEHEADED
Saudi Arabia beheaded two men convicted of drug trafficking in the ultra-conservative kingdom, the interior ministry announced.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: INDIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
An Indian national was sentenced to death in Malaysia for trafficking in 1,982.8 grams
FEBRUARY 8, 2012IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR PRISONERS EXECUTED IN QOM
Four prisoners have been executed in the prison of Qom in the past few days, reported
- JANUARY 30, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: CONVICTED DRUG SMUGGLER BEHEADED
In Saudi Arabia, a Pakistani man convicted of trying to smuggle drugs into the kingdom
- JANUARY 30, 2012Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: TRISHAW DRIVER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING HEROIN
In Sri Lanka, Colombo High Court sentenced a trishaw driver to death for
- JANUARY 29, 2012IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Two prisoners were hanged in the prison of Semnan, north of Iran.
- JANUARY 28, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: COURT AWARDS DEATH PENALTY IN DRUG CASE FOR THE FIRST TIME
in the first ever case of capital punishment in a drug crime, a special Narcotics
JANUARY 12, 2012MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: DRUG KINGPIN SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Moroccan court sentenced the head of a major drug gang to death after he
JANUARY 8, 2012IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AT LEAST 41 EXECUTIONS IN THE FIRST WEEK OF 2012
The new year also began with a series of mass executions in Iran.
- JANUARY 4, 2012IranDEATH PENALTY
five prisoners were hanged in the prison of Zanjan for drug trafficking
five prisoners were hanged in the prison of Zanjan for drug trafficking
- JANUARY 4, 2012IranDEATH PENALTY
one prisoner was hanged in the central prison of Semnan
one prisoner was hanged in the central prison of Semnan
- JANUARY 4, 2012IranDEATH PENALTY
five narcotics traffickers were hanged in the Kerman and Bam prisons
five narcotics traffickers were hanged in the Kerman and Bam prisons
JANUARY 3, 2012IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 25 PRISONERS HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
At least 25 prisoners have been executed in Iran in the past two days, official and unofficial
- JANUARY 2, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a female college student named Lanlan
a female college student named Lanlan
- JANUARY 2, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO NATIONALS EXECUTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
Saudi Arabia beheaded two nationals in the eastern province of Al-Ahsa after convicting them of drug smuggling, the interior ministry said.