Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.

Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
The Penal Code of 1957 prescribes the death penalty "in cases of exceptional gravity" for genocide, crimes against humanity (Art. 281); war crimes against the civilian population (Art. 282); crimes against the wounded, sick or shipwrecked persons (Art. 283); war crimes against prisoners and interned persons (Art. 284); pillage, piracy and looting (Art. 285).
On May 9, 2005, Ethiopia introduced an Amended Penal Code under which a person who deliberately infected someone with HIV/AIDS by rape would face a maximum penalty of death.
Under Article 28 of the 1994 Constitution, the President is empowered to commute capital sentences to life imprisonment. Those condemned to death have the right to appeal to a higher court and to petition for presidential clemency.
Since 1994, Ethiopia has been conducting trials related to the ‘Red Terror’ orchestrated by Marxist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in an attempt to wipe out opponents between 1977-1978. Mengistu fled Ethiopia in 1991 as the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front captured Addis Ababa. He was put on trial in absentia for genocide and crimes against humanity, including murder, torture and forced disappearances concerning the death o about 150,000 people. Mengistu, resides in the Zimbabwean capital Harare and refuses to return to face accusations.
By the end of 2003, 1,070 people had stood trial, whilst 6,426 were awaiting judgement and over 3,000 people were still in exile.
Human rights organisations estimate around 50 people condemned to death during these trials.
The last execution in Ethiopia took place in June 1998.
Numerous reports have accused security forces of committing many extrajudicial killings, including some alleged political killings, in 2003. Security forces have also reportedly beaten, tortured, and mistreated detainees. At least one person died as a result of torture while in custody.
Ethiopia voted against the resolution on the death  penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 20, 2005.