The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal (1990) at Article 12 states:

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal (1990) at Article 12 states: "No law shall be made which provides for capital punishment." The last execution took place in 1979. The civil war ongoing since 1996 between Maoist rebels and the state – wherein the insurgents want to replace the monarchy with a communist republic – had cost at least 9,500 lives by October 2004. It has escalated into a major human rights crisis with civilians in contested areas ruthlessly abducted and executed by both sides. In 2003 alone 1,600 people, between civilians, rebels and security forces, lost their lives as a result of the conflict.