LIST OF ABOLITIONIST AND RETENTIONIST COUNTRIES (1 January 2007)
One country abolished the death penalty for all crimes in 2006 (Philippines) and two countries removed provisions for the death penalty from their country’s constitutions (Georgia and Moldova). One country (Montenegro) became an independent member state of the United Nations (previously Serbia and Montenegro).
Attached is a list of countries indicating whether or not their laws provide for the death penalty. For abolitionist countries, information is also given, where available, on the date of abolition and the date of the last execution carried out; and for countries which have abolished the death penalty for all crimes, the date when it was abolished for ordinary offences if this was done before. (The date given for abolition is normally the date when the decision to abolish the death penalty was taken, but if that decision only came into effect several years later, the latter date is given.)
Also attached is a list of countries which have abolished the death penalty since 1976. It shows that in the past decade, an average of three countries a year have abolished the death penalty or, having done so for ordinary offences, have gone on to abolish it for all offences.
As of 1 January 2007, the number of abolitionist and retentionist countries was as follows:
Abolitionist for all crimes 88
Abolitionist for ordinary crimes only 11
Abolitionist in practice 29
Total abolitionist in law or practice 128
Retentionist 69
1. ABOLITIONIST FOR ALL CRIMES
Countries whose laws do not provide for the death penalty for any crime
Abbreviations: Date (A) = date of abolition for all crimes; Date (AO) = date of abolition for ordinary crimes; Date (last ex.) = date of last execution; K = date of last known execution; NK = date of last execution not known; Ind. = no executions since independence
|
Country |
Date(A) |
Date(AO) |
Date(last ex.) |
|
ANDORRA |
1990 |
|
1943 |
|
ANGOLA |
1992 |
|
NK |
|
ARMENIA |
2003 |
|
NK |
|
AUSTRALIA |
1985 |
1984 |
1967 |
|
AUSTRIA |
1968 |
1950 |
1950 |
|
AZERBAIJAN |
1998 |
|
1993 |
|
BELGIUM |
1996 |
|
1950 |
|
BHUTAN |
2004 |
|
1964K |
|
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA |
2001 |
1997 |
NK |
|
BULGARIA |
1998 |
|
1989 |
|
CAMBODIA |
1989 |
|
NK |
|
CANADA |
1998 |
1976 |
1962 |
|
CAPE VERDE |
1981 |
|
1835 |
|
COLOMBIA |
1910 |
|
1909 |
|
COSTA RICA |
1877 |
|
NK |
|
COTE D’IVOIRE |
2000 |
|
NK |
|
CROATIA |
1990 |
|
NK |
|
CYPRUS |
2002 |
1983 |
1962 |
|
CZECH REPUBLIC |
1990 |
|
NK |
|
DENMARK |
1978 |
1933 |
1950 |
|
DJIBOUTI |
1995 |
|
Ind. |
|
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC |
1966 |
|
NK |
|
ECUADOR |
1906 |
|
NK |
|
ESTONIA |
1998 |
|
1991 |
|
FINLAND |
1972 |
1949 |
1944 |
|
FRANCE |
1981 |
|
1977 |
|
GEORGIA |
1997 |
|
1994K |
|
GERMANY |
1987 |
|
NK |
|
GREECE |
2004 |
1993 |
1972 |
|
GUINEA-BISSAU |
1993 |
|
1986K |
|
HAITI |
1987 |
|
1972K |
|
HONDURAS |
1956 |
|
1940 |
|
HUNGARY |
1990 |
|
1988 |
|
ICELAND |
1928 |
|
1830 |
|
IRELAND |
1990 |
|
1954 |
|
ITALY |
1994 |
1947 |
1947 |
|
KIRIBATI |
|
|
Ind. |
|
LIBERIA |
2005 |
|
NK |
|
LIECHTENSTEIN |
1987 |
|
1785 |
|
LITHUANIA |
1998 |
|
1995 |
|
LUXEMBOURG |
1979 |
|
1949 |
|
MACEDONIA (former Yug. Rep.) |
1991 |
|
NK |
|
MALTA |
2000 |
1971 |
1943 |
|
MARSHALL ISLANDS |
|
|
Ind. |
|
MAURITIUS |
1995 |
|
1987 |
|
MEXICO |
2005 |
|
1937 |
|
MICRONESIA (Federated States) |
|
|
Ind. |
|
MOLDOVA |
1995 |
|
NK |
|
MONACO |
1962 |
|
1847 |
|
MONTENEGRO |
2002 |
|
NK |
|
MOZAMBIQUE |
1990 |
|
1986 |
|
NAMIBIA |
1990 |
|
1988K |
|
NEPAL |
1997 |
1990 |
1979 |
|
NETHERLANDS |
1982 |
1870 |
1952 |
|
NEW ZEALAND |
1989 |
1961 |
1957 |
|
NICARAGUA |
1979 |
|
1930 |
|
NIUE |
|
|
NK |
|
NORWAY |
1979 |
1905 |
1948 |
|
PALAU |
|
|
NK |
|
PANAMA |
|
|
1903K |
|
PARAGUAY |
1992 |
|
1928 |
|
PHILIPPINES |
2006 |
|
1999 |
|
POLAND |
1997 |
|
1988 |
|
PORTUGAL |
1976 |
1867 |
1849K |
|
ROMANIA |
1989 |
|
1989 |
|
SAMOA |
2004 |
|
Ind. |
|
SAN MARINO |
1865 |
1848 |
1468K |
|
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE |
1990 |
|
Ind. |
|
SENEGAL |
2004 |
|
1967 |
|
SERBIA |
2002 |
|
NK |
|
SEYCHELLES |
1993 |
|
Ind. |
|
SLOVAK REPUBLIC |
1990 |
|
NK |
|
SLOVENIA |
1989 |
|
NK |
|
SOLOMON ISLANDS |
|
1966 |
Ind. |
|
SOUTH AFRICA |
1997 |
1995 |
1991 |
|
SPAIN |
1995 |
1978 |
1975 |
|
SWEDEN |
1972 |
1921 |
1910 |
|
SWITZERLAND |
1992 |
1942 |
1944 |
|
TIMOR-LESTE |
1999 |
|
NK |
|
TURKEY |
2004 |
2002 |
1984 |
|
TURKMENISTAN |
1999 |
|
NK |
|
TUVALU |
|
|
Ind. |
|
UKRAINE |
1999 |
|
NK |
|
UNITED KINGDOM |
1998 |
1973 |
1964 |
|
URUGUAY |
1907 |
|
NK |
|
VANUATU |
|
|
Ind. |
|
VATICAN CITY STATE |
1969 |
|
NK |
|
VENEZUELA |
1863 |
|
NK |
2. ABOLITIONIST FOR ORDINARY CRIMES ONLY
Countries whose laws provide for the death penalty only for exceptional crimes such as crimes under military law or crimes committed in exceptional circumstances, such as wartime crimes
Abbreviations: Date (AO) = date of abolition for ordinary crimes; Date (last ex.) = date of last execution; K = date of last known execution; NK = date of last execution not known; Ind. = no executions since independence
|
Country |
Date(AO) |
Date(last ex.) |
|
ALBANIA |
2000 |
NK |
|
ARGENTINA |
1984 |
NK |
|
BOLIVIA |
1997 |
1974 |
|
BRAZIL |
1979 |
1855 |
|
CHILE |
2001 |
1985 |
|
COOK ISLANDS |
|
NK |
|
EL SALVADOR |
1983 |
1973K |
|
FIJI |
1979 |
1964 |
|
ISRAEL |
1954 |
1962 |
|
LATVIA |
1999 |
1996 |
|
PERU |
1979 |
1979 |
3. ABOLITIONIST IN PRACTICE
Countries that retain the death penalty for ordinary crimes such as murder but can be considered abolitionist in practice in that they have not executed anyone during the past 10 years and are believed to have a policy or established practice of not carrying out executions. The list also includes countries which have made an international commitment not to use the death penalty.
Abbreviations: Date (last ex.) = date of last execution; K = date of last known execution; Ind. = no executions since independence
|
Country |
Date(last ex.) |
|
ALGERIA |
1993 |
|
BENIN |
1987 |
|
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM |
1957K |
|
BURKINA FASO |
1988 |
|
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC |
1981 |
|
CONGO (Republic) |
1982 |
|
GABON |
NK |
|
GAMBIA |
1981 |
|
GHANA |
NK |
|
GRENADA |
1978 |
|
KENYA |
1987 |
|
KYRGYZSTAN |
1998 |
|
MADAGASCAR |
1958K |
|
MALAWI |
1992 |
|
MALDIVES |
1952K |
|
MALI |
1980 |
|
MAURITANIA |
1987 |
|
MOROCCO |
1993 |
|
MYANMAR |
NK |
|
NAURU |
Ind. |
|
NIGER |
1976K |
|
PAPUA NEW GUINEA |
1950 |
|
RUSSIAN FEDERATION |
1999 |
|
SRI LANKA |
1976 |
|
SURINAME |
1982 |
|
SWAZILAND |
NK |
|
TOGO |
NK |
|
TONGA |
1982 |
|
TUNISIA |
1991 |
4. RETENTIONIST
Countries and territories that retain the death penalty for ordinary crimes
AFGHANISTAN
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
BAHAMAS
BAHRAIN
BANGLADESH
BARBADOS
BELARUS
BELIZE
BOTSWANA
BURUNDI
CAMEROON
CHAD
CHINA
COMOROS
CONGO (Democratic Republic)
CUBA
DOMINICA
EGYPT
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
ERITREA
ETHIOPIA
GUATEMALA
GUINEA
GUYANA
INDIA
INDONESIA
IRAN
IRAQ
JAMAICA
JAPAN
JORDAN
KAZAKSTAN
KOREA (North)
KOREA (South)
KUWAIT
LAOS
LEBANON
LESOTHO
LIBYA
MALAYSIA
MONGOLIA
NIGERIA
OMAN
PAKISTAN
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
QATAR
RWANDA
SAINT CHRISTOPHER & NEVIS
SAINT LUCIA
SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES
SAUDI ARABIA
SIERRA LEONE
SINGAPORE
SOMALIA
SUDAN
SYRIA
TAIWAN
TAJIKISTAN
TANZANIA
THAILAND
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
UGANDA
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
UZBEKISTAN
VIET NAM
YEMEN
ZAMBIA
ZIMBABWE
COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE ABOLISHED THE DEATH PENALTY SINCE 1976
1976: PORTUGAL abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1978: DENMARK abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1979: LUXEMBOURG, NICARAGUA and NORWAY abolished the death penalty for all crimes. BRAZIL, FIJI and PERU abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes.
1981: FRANCE and CAPE VERDE abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1982: The NETHERLANDS abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1983: CYPRUS and EL SALVADOR abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes.
1984: ARGENTINA abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes.
1985: AUSTRALIA abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1987: HAITI, LIECHTENSTEIN and the GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC (1) abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1989: CAMBODIA, NEW ZEALAND, ROMANIA and SLOVENIA (2) abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1990: ANDORRA, CROATIA (2), the CZECH AND SLOVAK FEDERAL REPUBLIC (3), HUNGARY, IRELAND, MOZAMBIQUE, NAMIBIA and SAO TOMÉ AND PRíNCIPE abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1992: ANGOLA, PARAGUAY and SWITZERLAND abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1993: GUINEA-BISSAU, HONG KONG (4) and SEYCHELLES abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1994: ITALY abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1995: DJIBOUTI, MAURITIUS, MOLDOVA and SPAIN abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1996: BELGIUM abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1997: GEORGIA, NEPAL, POLAND and SOUTH AFRICA abolished the death penalty for all crimes. BOLIVIA abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes.
1998: AZERBAIJAN, BULGARIA, CANADA, ESTONIA, LITHUANIA and the UNITED KINGDOM abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
1999: EAST TIMOR (now TIMOR-LESTE), TURKMENISTAN and UKRAINE abolished the death penalty for all crimes. LATVIA (5) abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes.
2000: ALBANIA (6) abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes. COTE DIVOIRE and MALTA abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
2001: BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA (7) abolished the death penalty for all crimes. CHILE abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes.
2002: CYPRUS and YUGOSLAVIA (now separate states of SERBIA and MONTENEGRO(9)) abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
2003: ARMENIA abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
2004: BHUTAN, GREECE ( 
, SAMOA, SENEGAL and TURKEY abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
2005: LIBERIA (10) and MEXICO abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
2006: PHILIPPINES abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
Notes
(1) In 1990 the German Democratic Republic became unified with the Federal Republic of Germany, where the death penalty had been abolished in 1949.
(2) Slovenia and Croatia abolished the death penalty while they were still republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The two republics became independent in 1991.
(3) In 1993 the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic divided into two states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
(4) In 1997 Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule as a special administrative region of China. Since then Hong Kong has remained abolitionist.
(5) In 1999 the Latvian parliament voted to ratify Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights, abolishing the death penalty for peacetime offences.
(6) In 2000 Albania ratified Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights, abolishing the death penalty for peacetime offences.
(7) In 2001 Bosnia-Herzegovina ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, abolishing the death penalty for all crimes.
( In November 2004 the Greek parliament approved the ratification of Protocol No. 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights, thereby abolishing the death penalty for all crimes.
(9) Montenegro had already abolished the death penalty in 2002 when it was part of a state union with Serbia. It became an independent member state of the United Nations on 28 June 2006. It ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on 23 October 2006.
(10) Liberia ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights without reservation on 16 September 2005.
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