The death penalty for drug offences
Archive theme
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 1, 2012Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTY
In Palestinian areas three types of legislation are applied.
In Palestinian areas three types of legislation are applied.
- JANUARY 1, 2012BruneiDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is mandatory for murder, unlawful possession of firearms and explosives
The death penalty is mandatory for murder, unlawful possession of firearms and explosives
- DECEMBER 30, 2011VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRADING HEROIN
A Ho Chi Minh City court sentenced five men to death for joining a 14-strong gang to
- DECEMBER 28, 2011IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: INDONESIAN WOMAN GETS DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Indonesian woman Maggie Taissya Olyvia, 27, was sentenced to death by Malaysian High Court Judicial Commissioner Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab for trafficking 656.15g of heroin and 185.14g of monoacetylmorphine at the Custom, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in
- DECEMBER 28, 2011IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
an woman was sentenced to death, in Indonesia
an woman was sentenced to death, in Indonesia
DECEMBER 20, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
One prisoner was hanged in the prison of Saveh (southwest of Tehran) early this morning.
DECEMBER 17, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED IN ARAK
Three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Arak (south of Tehran) early
DECEMBER 13, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: HEROIN TRAFFICKER EXECUTED
A convicted drug trafficker was executed publicly early in the mornng in the Iranian city of Rasht
- DECEMBER 13, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: LABOURER SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Malaysian High Court Justice Azman Abdullah sentenced labourer Rosdi Taib, 43, from Rantau Panjang, to
- DECEMBER 9, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
FILIPINO EXECUTED IN CHINA FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
in Liuzhou, China, an unidentified Philippino man, 35, was executed for drug trafficking.
- NOVEMBER 29, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
six drug traffickers -- one of them a woman - were hanged in Iran, Fars
six drug traffickers -- one of them a woman - were hanged in Iran, Fars
NOVEMBER 29, 2011DEATH PENALTYIRAN: NINE HANGED FOR RAPE, DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged three convicted rapists and six drug traffickers -- one of them a woman -- in different cities, local media reported.
- NOVEMBER 28, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA TO EXECUTE FILIPINO DEC. 8 DESPITE PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT’S APPEAL
the Supreme People’s Court in Beijing, China, upheld the drug trafficking conviction of an unidentified 35-year-old Filipino man and set his execution for December 8.
- NOVEMBER 15, 2011United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 10 DRUG DEALERS GET DEATH IN KHOR FAKKAN
a criminal court in Khor Fakkan, UAE, sentenced 10 men to death after they were
- NOVEMBER 11, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the state run Iranian news agency Fars, two prisoners were hanged
According to the state run Iranian news agency Fars, two prisoners were hanged
- NOVEMBER 4, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: ZAMBIAN WOMAN TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A Zambian woman was sentenced to death in Malaysia for trafficking in 770.2gm of methamphetamine
- OCTOBER 24, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, one unidentified prisoner was hanged in the prison of
According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, one unidentified prisoner was hanged in the prison of
- OCTOBER 24, 2011DEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED
Three prisoners were hanged in three different prisons in Iran early this morning
OCTOBER 16, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED
Two prisoners were hanged in the prison of Sari (northern Iran) reported the official website
OCTOBER 5, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED IN KERMAN
Three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Kerman, southeastern Iran, reported the official site of Kerman judiciary.
OCTOBER 5, 2011VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: 3 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A court in northern Vietnam sentenced three people to death for heroin trafficking.
OCTOBER 2, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SEVEN MEN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Seven prisoners were hanged in Shiraz (southern Iran) early in the morning.
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: INDIAN NATIONAL TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Malaysian High Court Justice Datuk Wira Mohtarudin Baki sent Indian national Munuswamy Sundar
SEPTEMBER 26, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TRIO TO HANG FOR DRUGS
Kwok Weng Fatt, 62, Abdul Rahman Lee Abdullah, 54, and Nurul Jannah Seng
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2011DEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING, MURDER
two men have been hanged in Iran in the last days, media reported.
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
One prisoner was hanged in Minab, in southern Iranian province of Hormozgan.
One prisoner was hanged in Minab, in southern Iranian province of Hormozgan.
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: SINGAPOREAN GETS CHANCE TO OVERTURN DEATH SENTENCE
Singaporean woman Noor Atiqah M. Lasim, 26, who was sentenced to death in 2011 for drug trafficking in Malaysia, was successful before the Court of Appeal in her application to introduce fresh evidence to overturn her conviction.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: PAKISTANI MAN EXECUTED ON DRUGS CHARGES
China executed by lethal injection Pakistani man Zahid Husain Shah, 35, in Shanghai. He was
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN GHAZVIN
One prisoner was hanged in the prison of Ghazvin (west of Tehran) early this morning, reported the Iranian news agency Mehr.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 22 PRISONERS HANGED
According to the Iranian government daily "Iran", 22 prisoners were hanged in the prisons of Evin (Tehran) and Rajaei Shahr (Karaj, west of Tehran) for drug-related crimes.