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 31, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PEOPLE HANGED IN SHIRVAN
Two people were hanged in the prison of Shirvan (north Khorasan province
MAY 31, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SEVEN AFGHAN IMMIGRANTS EXECUTED
Iranian authorities executed seven Afghan refugees, their relatives in western Herat province
MAY 25, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS FOUR CONVICTED DRUG SMUGGLERS
four people were hanged in the prison of Yazd after
MAY 23, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN EXECUTED IN AHWAZ FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a man was hanged in the Iranian province of Khuzestan for drug trafficking.
MAY 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN EXECUTED IN PUBLIC FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran publicly hanged a man convicted of drug trafficking in the western city of Ahvaz, Fars news agency reported. The man was identified by his initials as A.A., he was arrested with 1.375 kilos of heroin.
- MAY 14, 2010SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE: MANS DEATH PENALTY APPEAL DISMISSED
Chief Justice Keong and Justices Phang and Rajah of Singapore's Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of Malaysian national Yong Vui Kong, 21, against his November 2009 death sentence for trafficking 47 grammes of heroin in June 2008.
MAY 12, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: TWO DRUG DEALERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Two drug traffickers have been sentenced to death for dealing large amounts of crystal methamphetamine, or "ice", in east China's Zhejiang Province, sources with the local court said.
MAY 12, 2010MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: CONTRACTOR TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Malaysian High Court judge Datuk Syed Ahmad Helmy sentenced freelance contractor Cheah
MAY 5, 2010MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: LIBERIAN'S DEATH SENTENCE FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING UPHELD
Justices Datuk Hashim Yusoff, Datuk Wira Mohd Ghazali Mohd Yusoff and Datuk
- APRIL 29, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN ARDEBIL
One person was hanged in the prison of Ardebil, in northwestern Iran.
- APRIL 27, 2010ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: COURT ISSUES DEATH SENTENCE FOR DRUG DEALING
Thailand’s Court of Appeal upheld a lower court death sentence against Jirasak Chatworanit
- APRIL 19, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR HANGED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
Iran hanged four men in a prison in the southeastern province of Kerman for drug smuggling
APRIL 8, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE DRUG TRAFFICKERS HANGED
Five people were hanged in Mashad (northeastern Iran) according to the reports.
- APRIL 1, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China executed five persons for drug-related crimes.
China executed five persons for drug-related crimes.
- MARCH 26, 2010VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: DRUG RING GETS 5 DEATH PENALTIES
a court in Vietnam’s northern province of Thai Nguyen sentenced five people to death and fined
- MARCH 17, 2010MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: UMI'S DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO LIFE TERM
China commuted the death sentence of Malaysian national Umi Azlim Mohamad Lazim, 26, to life imprisonment.
- MARCH 9, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: NIGERIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG DEALING
A Nigerian man received the death penalty in Dongguan, Guangdong province, China,
MARCH 8, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Two men were hanged in the province of Lorestan, west of Iran, early this week.
MARCH 1, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EIGHT MEN HANGED FOR MURDER, DRUG TRAFFICKING
eight men have been hanged in Iran recently for murder, drug trafficking.
- FEBRUARY 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE PEOPLE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men were hanged in two different Iranian cities for drug trafficking.
FEBRUARY 10, 2010United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUNITED ARAB EMIRATES: FIVE FACE FIRING SQUAD IN RAK FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, the Criminal Court sentenced five people to death for drug possession and trafficking through the Oman-Ras Al Khaimah border.
JANUARY 31, 2010VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: 4 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING HEROIN
Presiding Judge Luong Van Hien of the People's Court of Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam
JANUARY 19, 2010VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: DEATH SENTENCE HANDED TO SIX DRUG TRADERS
a court in Vietnam’s northern Lai Chau province sentenced six people to
- JANUARY 9, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SIX HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
six men convicted of drug trafficking were hanged early this morning in a prison in
- JANUARY 4, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
KUWAIT: PAKISTANI CARRIER TO DIE FOR DRUGS
the Criminal Court in Kuwait sentenced an unidentified Pakistani man to capital punishment for smuggling heroin into the country.
- JANUARY 1, 2010LaosDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty in Laos is applied in cases of treason, murder and rape
The death penalty in Laos is applied in cases of treason, murder and rape
- JANUARY 1, 2010VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Vietnam applies the death penalty for 29 different crimes.
Vietnam applies the death penalty for 29 different crimes.
- JANUARY 1, 2010SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, treason, offences against the President, illegal possession of arms, kidnapping and causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness.
Capital crimes are: murder, treason, offences against the President, illegal possession of arms, kidnapping and causing an innocent person to be executed by bearing false witness.
- JANUARY 1, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is imposed for several crimes...
The death penalty is imposed for several crimes...
- JANUARY 1, 2010BruneiDEATH 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