Use of capital punishment by nation
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Issues
Australia · Brazil · Canada
People's Republic of China India · Iran · Iraq · Japan
Malaysia · New Zealand
Pakistan · Philippines
Russia · Singapore
Republic of China (Taiwan)
United States · more
People's Republic of China India · Iran · Iraq · Japan
Malaysia · New Zealand
Pakistan · Philippines
Russia · Singapore
Republic of China (Taiwan)
United States · more
Methods
At one time capital punishment was used in almost every part of the globe, but over the last few decades many countries have abolished it. Amnesty International classifies countries into four categories.
59 countries still maintain the death penalty in both law and practice. (Also lists the Palestinian Authority) 90 countries have abolished it completely. (Also lists the Cook Islands & Niue) 10 retain it, but only for crimes committed in exceptional circumstances (such as crimes committed in time of war). 35 countries maintain laws permitting the use of the death penalty for ordinary crimes, but have allowed the death penalty to fall into disuse for at least 10 years.
Additionally, five countries still execute child offenders.[1] In some countries the practice of extrajudicial execution sporadically or systematically outside their own formal legal frameworks still occurs. This list below includes several unrecognized states with de facto control over their territory and dependent territories, neither of which are included in the above numbers.
Contents
Legend
Abolished for all crimes Abolished for crimes not committed in exceptional circumstances (such as crimes committed in time of war) Abolished in practice Legal form of punishment
Note: The tables can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the 
icon.
[edit] Africa
Executions in 2007: Botswana (1), Egypt (?), Equatorial Guinea (3), Ethiopia (1), Libya (9), Somalia (5), Sudan (7)
Algeria 1993, August Treason and espionage; attempts to change the regime or actions aimed at incitement; destruction of territory, sabotage to public and economic utilities; massacres and slaughters; participation in armed bands or in insurrectionary movements; counterfeiting; murder; acts of torture or cruelty; kidnapping; aggravated theft
Angola 1992 (by Constitution)
Botswana 2007 Murder; Treason; Attempt on the life of the head of state; Mutiny; Desertion in the face of the enemy
Central African Republic 1981 Treason; espionage; charlatanism; witchcraft; assassination; murder[10]
Congo 1982
Egypt 2007 Rape, only if accompanied by kidnapping of the victim. Murder. Treason. Organized Drug Trafficking.
Equatorial Guinea 2007
Gambia 1981 Treason. Abolished 1993 but was reinstated by Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council in August 1995[17]
Liberia 1995[17] On September 16 2005, Liberia had acceded to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, completely abolishing the death penalty, but re-introduced elements of it again in July, 2008.[19]
Madagascar 1958
Mali 1980
Mauritania 1987 Sodomy[22]; Apostasy[23] (Although apostasy is a capital offense there are no recorded executions for it).
Morocco 1993 Terrorism[13]. An abolition law project is being presented to the Parliament of Morocco in spring 2007. (see Human rights in Morocco#Capital punishment)
Niger 1976
Nigeria 2001[17] Sodomy[24]. Each of the 36 states have their own laws. In the north of the country the legal system used is Sharia (Islamic law)
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 1976 The Constitution of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic explicitly outlaws the death penalty; Article 13, from the 1991 revision reads "The death penalty is banned" (translated into English from the Arabic.)[26]
Sierra Leone 1998 Treason[27]; Murder; Aggravated robbery. Under the Special Court for Sierra Leone the death penalty is not a punishment for war crimes
South Africa 1991, January 31[8] 1997 On 25 May 2005 the Constitutional Court ordered that all remaining death sentences in the country be set aside and the prisoners resentenced. This last execution occurred in the internationally unrecognised Black "homelands". The last execution in Pretoria Central Prison was on November 14, 1989.
Sudan 2007 Sodomy [28]; Waging war against the state[29]; Apostasy[23]; Prostitution; Treason; Acts which may endanger the independence or unity of the state; Murder; Armed robbery; Weapons possession and smuggling
Tunisia 1991 Murder; violence and aggression; attacks against the internal security of the State; attacks against the external security of the State
Uganda 2003[33] Treason; Terrorism; Murder[34]; Rape; Defilement; Aggravated robbery; Aggravated kidnapping. On June 14, 2005 the Constitutional court ruled that although the death penalty was constitutional, its use as a mandatory punishment for certain crimes was not.[35]
Zambia 1997 Murder; Aggravated robbery; High treason. President Levy Mwanawasa stated in 2004 that "For as long as I remain President, I will not execute a death warrant."[21]
[edit] Asia
Executions in 2007: Afghanistan (15), Bangladesh (6), People's Republic of China (470+), Indonesia (2), Iran (244), Iraq (29), Japan (9), North Korea (9), Kuwait (1), Pakistan (31), Saudi Arabia (140), Singapore (2), Syria (5), Vietnam (25), Yemen (8)
Afghanistan 2007, October 8[37] Murder; child smuggling in order to use the victim's body parts; Apostasy (see Abdul Rahman (convert))
Bahrain 2008 premeditated murder; plotting to topple the regime; collaborating with a foreign hostile country; threatening the life of the Emir; defiance of military orders in time of war or martial law
Bangladesh 2007 Murder [39]; drug offences [40]; Trafficking in children for immoral or illegal purposes; Trafficking in women for purposes of prostitution[41]
Brunei 1957 Murder; unlawful possession of firearms and explosives; possession of heroin or morphine of more than 15 grams, Cocaine of more than 30 grams, Cannabis of more than 500 grams, Syabu or methamphetamine of more than 50 grams, or Opium of more than 1.2 kg[42]
Cambodia 1989 (by Constitution)
China 2008 Embezzlement; Rape of children; Fraud; Bombing; People trafficking; Piracy; Theft; Corruption; Arson; Murder; "Endangering national security"; Terrorism[43] (see Capital punishment in the People's Republic of China) (The two special administrative regions, namely Hong Kong and Macau, have abolished death penalty.)
Taiwan 2005 Since 2004, most death sentences have been informally given moratorium by President Chen Shui-bian except serious murders.(see Capital punishment in Taiwan)
Timor-Leste 1999
Hong Kong 1966 1993* *when Hong Kong was under British rule, and remains so after the handover to the People's Republic of China.
India 2004, August 14[44] Murder, instigating a child's suicide, treason, acts of terrorism, or a second conviction for drug trafficking. For more information see Capital punishment in India
Iran 2008 Sodomy; Armed Robbery; Terrorism; Drug trafficking; Kidnapping & rape; Murder; accounts for two-thirds of the global total of child offender executions[1]
Iraq 2008 murder; endangering national security; distributing drugs; rape; attacks on transport convoys; financing and execution of terrorism[48]. Suspended in April 2003 after 2003 invasion; reinstated May 2005.
Israel 1962 1954 (for other crimes) Crimes against humanity[49], high treason. Only one execution after 1954 (high-ranking Nazi Adolf Eichmann).
Japan 2008, June 17[50] Prosecutors only push for the death penalty in the case of multiple murders, or single murder with aggravating circumstances.[51] Judges usually impose death penalty in case of multiple homicides. Between 1946 and 2003, Japanese courts sentenced 766 people to death, 608 of whom were executed. For 40 months from 1989 to 1993 the successive ministers of justice refused to authorise executions, which amounted to informal moratorium.
North Korea 2008[55] Plots against national sovereignty; terrorism ; treason against the Motherland by citizens; treason against the people; murder[56]
South Korea 1997, December 30[57] Murder [58]. There has been an unofficial moratorium on executions since President Kim Dae-jung took office in February 1998.[59]
Kyrgyzstan 2007[60][61] Kyrgyz authorities had extended a moratorium on executions each year since 1998.
Macau Death penalty and life imprisonment are prohibited, even after the handover to the People's Republic of China.[64] The maximum possible sentence is imprisonment for 30 years.[65]
Malaysia 2006[66] Mandatory for Trafficking in dangerous drugs; Discharging a firearm in the Commission of a scheduled offence; Accomplices in case of discharge of firearm; Offences against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s person; Murder. Discretionary for Kidnapping; Consorting with person carrying or having possession of arms or explosives; Waging or attempting to wage war or abetting the waging of war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri[67]
Mongolia terrorist acts committed for political purposes; terrorist acts against representatives of a foreign State for political purposes; sabotage; premeditated murder committed with aggravating circumstances; and rape with aggravating circumstances ; Armed Robbery[69]. According to Amnesty International, executions were carried out in secret and there are no official statistics[70]
Palestinian Authority 2005[75] Murder; Rape; Collaborating with Israeli forces to assassinate Palestinians[76]. There had been an unofficial moratorium since 2002 after President Yasser Arafat stopped authorising executions.
Philippines 2000 2006, June 24 Abolished in 1987 under the present constititution, re-introduced in 1993, re-abolished on June 24, 2006 under Republic Act No. 9346.
Qatar 2001 Espionage[77]; Threat to national security[78]; Apostasy[23]. Although apostasy is a capital offense there are no recorded executions for it
Saudi Arabia 2008[79] Many violent and nonviolent offenses including murder, apostasy, drug offenses, witchcraft and sexual misconduct.[80]. Method most often used is beheading by a sword
Singapore 2007 murder, kidnapping, treason, certain firearm offenses, trafficking in more than 15 grams (half an ounce) of heroin or morphine, 30 grams of cocaine or 500 grams of cannabis[81] (see capital punishment in Singapore)
Sri Lanka 1976, June 23 Murder, Perjury causing an innocent person to be executed, rape, drug trafficking. Moratorium from 1976 to 2003; reinstated in 2004[citation needed], however no executions have been carried out.
Syria 2007 treason; murder; political acts such as bearing arms against Syria in the ranks of the enemy, desertion of the armed forces to the enemy and acts of incitement under martial law or in wartime; violent robberies; rape; verbal opposition to the government; and membership in the Muslim Brotherhood
Tajikistan 2004 Murder with aggravating circumstances; rape with aggravating circumstances; terrorism; biocide; genocide[82]. Moratorium introduced 30 April 2004 by President Emomalii Rahmon
Thailand 2003, December 12 Offenses include Regicide; Sedition or Rebellion; Offences committed against the external security of Thailand; Murder or attempted murder of a foreign head of state; Bribery; Arson; Rape; Murder with intent; Kidnapping; Robbery resulting in death. For a full list see here (PDF)
Turkmenistan 1999 (by Constitution)
United Arab Emirates 2002[83] Murder; Drug offences[84]; homosexuality[85][86]; Rape; Treason; Aggravated robbery; Apostasy; Environmental pollution; Terrorism
Uzbekistan 2005[87] 2008 President Islom Karimov signed a decree on 1 August 2005 that replaced the death penalty with life imprisonment on 1 January 2008[88][89]
Vietnam 2007 treason; taking action to overthrow the government; espionage; rebellion; banditry; terrorism; sabotage; hijacking; destruction of national security projects; undermining peace; war crimes; crimes against humanity; manufacturing, concealing and trafficking in narcotic substances; murder; rape; robbery; embezzlement; fraud[90]
[edit] Europe
Executions in 2008: Belarus (3)
Albania 1995[38] 2007 Ratification of Protocol No. 13 of ECHR took place on February 6th and in effect by June 1st, 2007. [94]
Belarus 2008, February[95] acts of aggression; murder of a representative of a foreign state or international organization with the intention to provoke international tension or war; international terrorism; genocide; crimes against the security of humanity; murder with aggravating circumstances; terrorism; terrorist acts; treason that results in loss of life; conspiracy to seize power; sabotage; murder of a police officer; use of weapons of mass destruction; and violations of the laws and customs of war