Use of death penalty worldwide |
At one time the death penalty was used in almost
every part of the globe; but over the last few decades many countries have abolished it. 78 countries still maintain the
death penalty in both law and practice. 81 countries have abolished it completely (this includes Turkey which has yet to
pass this into law); 13 retain it, but only for crimes committed in exceptional circumstances (such as crimes committed
in time of war). 23 other countries maintain laws permitting the use of the death penalty for ordinary crimes, but have
allowed the death penalty to fall into disuse. Finally, it is not unknown for countries to practise the death penalty
sporadically or systematically outside their own formal legal frameworks.
The list is drawn from the Amnesty International
website [1] [2]
[3]
.
Legal Form of Punishment
The following countries retain the death penalty as a legal form of punishment as of 2004.
- Afghanistan
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belize
- Botswana
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Chad
- People's Republic of China
- Comoros
- Democratic Republic of the
Congo
- Cuba
- Dominica
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guyana
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakstan
- North Korea
- South Korea
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Myanmar
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palestinian Authority
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Rwanda
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines
- Saudi Arabia
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Republic of China (Taiwan)
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uganda
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
- Uzbekistan
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Abolitionist in Practice
The following countries retain the death penalty for common crimes, but they have not executed anyone in 10 years and Amnesty
International classifies them as abolitionist in practice (year in paratheses is date of last known execution).
The last execution in the Russian Federation was in 1999, but it has committed internationally not to execute.
- Algeria (1993)
- Benin (1987)
- Brunei Darussalam (1957)
- Burkina Faso (1988)
- Central African Republic (1981)
- Republic of the Congo (1982)
- The Gambia (1981)
- Grenada (1978)
- Kenya (1984)
- Madagascar (1958)
- Maldives (1952)
- Mali (1980)
- Mauritania (1987)
- Nauru (none since indepedence)
- Niger (1976)
- Papua New Guinea (1950)
- Russian Federation (1999)
- Senegal (1967)
- Sri Lanka (1976)
- Suriname (1982)
- Togo
- Tonga (1982)
- Tunisia (1991)
Abolished for Ordinary Crimes
The following countries have abolished death penalty for common crimes, but it remains on the books for some crimes, such as
crimes under military law or other special exceptional circumstances (first year is last known execution, second
year is the date of abolition for ordinary crimes).
- Albania (not known, 2000)
- Argentina (not known, 1984)
- Armenia (not known, 2003)
- Bolivia (1974, 1997)
- Brazil (1855, 1979)
- Chile (1985, 2001)
- Cook Islands
- El Salvador (1973, 1983)
- Fiji (1964, 1979)
- Israel (1962, 1954)
- Latvia (1972, 1999)
- Mexico (1937)
- Peru (1979, 1979)
Abolished for all crimes
The following countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes (the first year in parantheses is the
date of the last known execution followed by the year in which the death penalty was abolished):
- Andorra (1943, 1990)
- Angola (not known, 1992)
- Australia (1967, 1985)
- Austria (1950, 1968)
- Azerbaijan (1993, 1998)
- Belgium (1950, 1996)
- Bhutan (1964, 2004)
- Bosnia-Herzegovina (1997, 2001)
- Bulgaria (1989, 1998)
- Cambodia (not known, 1989)
- Canada (1962, 1998)
- Cape Verde (1835, 1981)
- Colombia (1909, 1910)
- Costa Rica (not known, 1877)
- Côte d'Ivoire (not known, 2000)
- Croatia (not known, 1990)
- Cyprus (1962, 2002)
- Czech Republic (1989, 1990 as part of Czechoslovakia)
- Denmark (1950, 1978)
- Djibouti (none since independence, 1995)
- Dominican Republic (not known, 1966)
- East Timor or Timor-Leste (not known, 1999)
- Ecuador (not known, 1906)
- Estonia (1991, 1998)
- Finland (1944, 1972)
- France (1977, 1981)
- Georgia (1994, 1997)
- Germany (none since unification, abolished in FRG in 1949 and in GDR 1987)
- Greece (1972, 1993)
- Guinea-Bissau (1986, 1993)
- Haiti (1972, 1987)
- Honduras (1940, 1956)
- Hungary (1988, 1990)
- Iceland (1830, 1928)
- Republic of Ireland (1954, 1990), a 2001 referendum made reintroduction unconstitutional.
- Italy (1947, 1994)
- Kiribati (none since independence, 1979)
- Liechtenstein (1785, 1987)
- Lithuania (1995, 1998)
- Luxembourg (1949, 1979)
- Republic of Macedonia (N/A, 1991)
- Malta (1943, 2000)
- Marshall Islands (none since indepedence, 1986)
- Mauritius (1987, 1995)
- Federated States of Micronesia
(none since independence, 1986)
- Moldova (not known, 1995)
- Monaco (1847, 1962)
- Mozambique (1986, 1990)
- Namibia (1988, 1990)
- Nepal (1979, 1997)
- Netherlands (1952, 1982)
- New Zealand (1957, 1989)
- Nicaragua (1930, 1979)
- Norway (1948, 1979)
- Palau (none since indepedence, probably 1994)
- Panama (1903, 1903)
- Paraguay (1928, 1992)
- Poland (1988, 1997)
- Portugal (1849, 1976)
- Romania (1989, 1989)
- Samoa (none since indepedence)
- San Marino (1468, 1865)
- São Tomé and Príncipe (none since independence,
1990)
- Serbia and Montenegro (not known, 2002)
- Seychelles (none since independence, 1993)
- Slovakia (1989, 1990 as part of Czechoslovakia)
- Slovenia (1957, 1989)
- Solomon Islands (none since independence, 1966)
- South Africa (1991, 1997)
- Spain (1975, 1995)
- Sweden (1910, 1972)
- Switzerland (1944, 1992)
- Turkey (1984, 2004)
- Turkmenistan (not known, 1999)
- Tuvalu (none since independence, 1978)
- Ukraine (not known, 1999)
- United Kingdom (1964, 1998)
- Uruguay (not known, 1907)
- Vanuatu (none since independence, 1980)
- Vatican City (not known, 1969)
- Venezuela (not known, 1863)
Other
|