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
- DECEMBER 16, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men were hanged in the prison of Zahedan, capital of the southeast Iranian province of Sistan-
- DECEMBER 7, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SOUTHWEST CHINA GANG TRIAL
five people were sentenced to death after being convicted of drug trafficking, racketeering, fraud and selling counterfeit currency in southwest China.
NOVEMBER 30, 2009Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: HAMAS APPROVES LAW TO EXECUTE DRUG DEALERS
the Hamas-run government ruling Gaza, Palestine, approved a legal change that will allow for the execution of convicted drug dealers, attorney general Mohammed Abed said.
NOVEMBER 26, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AFGHAN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
One man has been hanged in Amol in northern Iran, official Iranian news agency IRNA reported.
NOVEMBER 26, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO NEPALESE SENTENCED TO DEATH
two Nepalese found guilty of drug trafficking were sentenced to death by Judicial Commissioner Azman
NOVEMBER 7, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR MEN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Four men were hanged in the prison of Kerman (southeastern Iran) early this morning, reported the state run news agency Fars.
- OCTOBER 20, 2009United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: TWO GET CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
the Khorfakan Criminal Court in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, sentenced a UAE woman, 47, and her
- OCTOBER 13, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA REVIEWS BRITON'S DEATH SENTENCE
Beijing confirmed the Supreme People’s Court was reviewing the death sentence handed down in Xinjiang to a British citizen for drug trafficking. Akmal Shaikh, 53, was found carrying 4kg of heroin in a suitcase at Urumqi airport on September 12, 2007.
- OCTOBER 13, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN EXECUTED FOR TRAFFICKING 48 KG OF DRUGS
Lu Fuguo was executed for drug trafficking in south China's Guangdong Province, the Dongguan Municipal
- OCTOBER 12, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO WOMEN AND FOUR MEN EXECUTED IN KHUZESTAN PROVINCE
Six people have been executed in the southwest Iranian Khuzestan during the last week, reported the Iranian daily newspaper Kayhan quoting the state run news agency Fars.
- OCTOBER 11, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
BRITISH MAN FACING DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD IN CHINA AFTER 'LOSING SECOND APPEAL'
a British man believed to suffering from mental illness lost a second appeal against a drug trafficking conviction in China.
OCTOBER 3, 2009YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: TWO PAKISTANIS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
a Yemeni court sentenced two Pakistani fishermen to death and jailed two others for 25 years after
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FIVE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Five people were hanged in the prison of Taybad, north-east of Iran reported the official news site of the Iranian police.
SEPTEMBER 28, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: MAN TO HANG FOR HEROIN TRAFFICKING
judicial commissioner Azman Abdullah of the Malaysian High Court dismissed an appeal by Azhar Abdul
SEPTEMBER 19, 2009VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: TWO WOMEN GET DEATH, EX-COPS JAIL IN DRUG SCANDAL
Two women leaders of a drug dealing ring in Hanoi, Vietnam, were sentenced to death in a case that also saw six former police officers of the capital city get prison terms.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: FOUR DRUG MAKERS EXECUTED
China executed four men for drug production, the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said.
- AUGUST 24, 2009ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: DRUG TRAFFICKERS EXECUTED BY LETHAL INJECTION
two men were executed by lethal injection in the prison of Bang Khwang, Thailand.
- AUGUST 19, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. ONE EXECUTION FOR DRUG
a man, identified as Mansour (51) was hanged in the prison of Isfahan (central Iran), the government newspaper Iran reported. He was convicted of drug trafficking.
- AUGUST 11, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: OFFICE ASSISTANT GETS DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a 56-year-old real estate agency office assistant was sentenced to death in Malaysia for drug trafficking.
- AUGUST 1, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged a man convicted of drug trafficking in the central city of Isfahan, government newspaper Iran reported.
- JULY 29, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG-TRAFFICKING
a man was hanged in the prison of Isfahan, according to a report published by the official website of Isfahan judiciary.
- JULY 23, 2009IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH ROW PRISONER GOES FREE AFTER APPEAL
an Indonesian businessman sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Malaysia was freed by the Federal Court.
JULY 12, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in the town of Arak in central
- JULY 9, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: SALESMAN TO HANG FOR DRUGS
in Malaysia, a 41-year-old salesman was sentenced to death for trafficking in drugs.
JULY 2, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SIX EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Six men were hanged in the prison of Qom, south of Tehran, reported the state run Iranian news agency Fars.
- JUNE 27, 2009PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
PHILIPPINES: 22 PINOYS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
twenty-two Filipinos were sentenced to death for drug trafficking in China.
- JUNE 26, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: FOUR MORE TRAFFICKERS EXECUTED ON INTERNATIONAL ANTI-DRUG DAY
China executed four men for drug trafficking on annual international anti-drug day, in
JUNE 25, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: 8 EXECUTED IN ANTI-DRUG BATTLE
eight people sentenced to death for drug production and trafficking were executed in China.
- JUNE 23, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: NIGERIAN GETS DEATH IN SOUTH CHINA
four people convicted of drug trafficking were sentenced to death by the Dongguan Intermediate People's Court in south China's Guangdong Province
- JUNE 22, 2009DEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SIX MEN EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING, MURDER
six men have been recently executed in Iran for drug trafficking, murder.