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
NOVEMBER 30, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYCOUPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN IRAN
A pregnant woman and her husband were sentenced to death in Iran under charges of drug trafficking,
- NOVEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan, Fars news
- NOVEMBER 28, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI, STATELESS ARAB BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a Saudi Arabian man and a stateless Arab convicted of drug trafficking were
- NOVEMBER 25, 2008UgandaDEATH PENALTY
EIGHT AFRICANS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN CHINA FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
eight Africans were sentenced to death in southern China after being convicted of drug smuggling, state press reported.
NOVEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged three men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the
- NOVEMBER 17, 2008TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
CHINA SENTENCES TWO TAIWANESE TO DEATH FO DRUG DEALING
a Chinese court sentenced two Taiwanese, convicted of trafficking heroin from Myanmar, to death.
- NOVEMBER 14, 2008MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY SINGAPORE COURT FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a 20-year-old Malaysian was sentenced to death by a Singapore court for a drug trafficking offence, the local media reported.
- OCTOBER 31, 2008NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: FG BEGS INDONESIA OVER NIGERIANS ON DEATH ROW
Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Minister of Foreign Affairs called for urgent steps to combat the menace of drug trade among Nigerians.
- OCTOBER 29, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
in Pakistan, Kasur Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Azam Khan awarded the death sentence and a Rs 25000 fine each to two men
in Pakistan, Kasur Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Azam Khan awarded the death sentence and a Rs 25000 fine each to two men
- OCTOBER 28, 2008PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
PHILIPPINES: SOTTO PROPOSES RETURN OF DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
former Filippino senator Vicente "Tito’’ C. Sotto III, now chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), said he will work for the re-imposition of the death penalty for those convicted for illegal drugs trafficking and capital offenses, including heinous
- OCTOBER 27, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking, the Fars news agency reported. The executions took
OCTOBER 20, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS FOUR FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged four men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan, state
- OCTOBER 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN BANS EXECUTION OF MINORS FOR DRUG-RELATED CRIMES
A new Iranian judicial directive bans the execution of juvenile offenders for drug crimes but keeps capital
- OCTOBER 17, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO PAKISTANIS BEHEADED ON DRUG CHARGES
two Pakistani citizens convicted of smuggling heroin into Saudi Arabia were beheaded by the sword in the
OCTOBER 14, 2008DEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS FOUR MEN
a man, convicted of murder, was hanged in a prison in the central city of Isfahan, the Fars news agency reported.
- OCTOBER 13, 2008AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: TWO DEATH-ROW AUSTRALIANS GRANTED CLEMENCY BY HANOI
two Vietnamese-Australians facing the firing squad in Vietnam after being convicted of drug charges were granted clemency.
OCTOBER 10, 2008MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA. DEATH FOR SMUGGLING DRUGS
the Malaysian High Court sentenced a 61 year old senior citizen to death after
- OCTOBER 6, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A convicted drug trafficker was hanged in prison in the northern Iranian city of Hamedan, Etemad
SEPTEMBER 17, 2008DEATH PENALTYYEMEN. PAKISTANI DRUGS TRAFFICKER, ONE YEMENI EXECUTED
two men were executed in Yemen for drug trafficking and murder.
- SEPTEMBER 11, 2008VietnamDEATH PENALTY
a court in Hanoi sentenced three men to death for trafficking heroin...
a court in Hanoi sentenced three men to death for trafficking heroin...
SEPTEMBER 11, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran has hanged a man convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the northern city of Sari, the government's Iran newspaper reported
SEPTEMBER 10, 2008VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY ON THREE FOR HEROIN TRAFFICKING
in Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh City Appeal Court retained the death penalty for three who led a trans-national ring that smuggled up to 5.28 kg of heroin.
SEPTEMBER 1, 2008NigeriaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA. 20 NIGERIANS FACE EXECUTION
Twenty Nigerian citizens are currently awaiting the hangman’s nose in Indonesia
- AUGUST 31, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI BEHEADS CITIZEN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi authorities announced the beheading of a citizen convicted of drug trafficking.
- AUGUST 30, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged a man convicted of drug trafficking in the northern town of Noshahr, Fars news agency reported.
AUGUST 29, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA. MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR DRUG PEDDLING
in only the second case of its kind in Ahmedabad state, a man was sentenced to death by a Nadiad
AUGUST 27, 2008VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM. TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HEROIN DEALING
a court in Vietnam sentenced two people, including a woman, to death and jailed three
- AUGUST 11, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS FOUR FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged four convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan, the state-run television's website reported.
JULY 27, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. MASS EXECUTION IN THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC
Iran hanged 29 people at dawn after they had been convicted of murder, drug trafficking and other crimes, state run television reported.
JULY 23, 2008NigeriaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. NIGERIAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a convicted Nigerian drug trafficker was beheaded by the sword in the holy city of Mecca, in western Saudi Arabia, the interior ministry said.