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. 83 countries still maintain the death penalty in both law and practice. 77 countries have abolished it completely; 15 retain it, but only for crimes committed in exceptional circumstances (such as crimes committed in time of war). 20 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 (in the reported words of an old Bolshevik, "Oh, he wasn't executed, we just shot him").

The list is drawn from the Amnesty International website [2]class="external">[1.

Table of contents

1 Legal Form of Punishment 2 Abolitionist in Practice 3 Abolished for Ordinary Crimes 4 Abolished for all crimes

Legal Form of Punishment

The following countries retain the death penalty as a legal form of punishment as of 2003.

1. Afghanistan
2. Algeria
3. Antigua and Barbuda
4. Bahamas
5. Bahrain
6. Bangladesh
7. Barbados
8. Belarus
9. Belize
10. Benin
11. Botswana
12. Burundi
13. Cameroon
14. Chad
15. People's Republic of China
16. Comoros
17. Democratic Republic of the Congo
18. Cuba
19. Dominica
20. Egypt
21. Equatorial Guinea
22. Eritrea
23. Ethiopia
24. Gabon
25. Ghana
26. Guatemala
27. Guinea
28. Guyana
29. India
30. Indonesia
31. Iran
32. Iraq
33. Jamaica
34. Japan
35. Jordan
36. Kazakstan
37. Kenya
38. North Korea
39. South Korea
40. Kuwait
41. Kyrgyzstan
42. Laos
43. Lebanon
44. Lesotho
45. Liberia
46. Libya
47. Malawi
48. Malaysia
49. Mauritania
50. Mongolia
51. Morocco
52. Myanmar
53. Nigeria
54. Oman
55. Pakistan
56. Palestinian Authority
57. Philippines
58. Qatar
59. Rwanda
60. Saint Kitts and Nevis
61. Saint Lucia
62. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
63. Saudi Arabia
64. Sierra Leone
65. Singapore
66. Somalia
67. Sudan
68. Swaziland
69. Syria
70. Republic of China (Taiwan)
71. Tajikistan
72. Tanzania
73. Thailand
74. Trinidad and Tobago
75. Tunisia
76. Uganda
77. United Arab Emirates
78. United States
79. Uzbekistan
80. Vietnam
81. Yemen
82. Zambia
83. 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).

1. Bhutan (1964)
2. Brunei Darussalam (1957)
3. Burkina Faso (1988)
4. Central African Republic (1981)
5. Republic of the Congo (1982)
6. The Gambia (1981)
7. Grenada (1978)
8. Madagascar (1958)
9. Maldives (1952)
10. Mali (1980)
11. Nauru (none since indepedence)
12. Niger (1976)
13. Papua New Guinea (1950)
14. Russian Federation
15. Samoa (none since indepedence)
16. Senegal (1967)
17. Sri Lanka (1976)
18. Suriname (1982)
19. Togo
20. Tonga (1984)

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 a abolition for ordinary crimes).

1. Albania (not known, 2000)
2. Argentina (not known, 1984)
3. Bolivia (1974, 1997)
4. Bosnia-Herzegovina (1997, 1997)
5. Brazil (1855, 1979)
6. Chile (1985, 2001)
7. Cook Islands
8. El Salvador (1973, 1983)
9. Fiji (1964, 1979)
10. Greece (1972, 1993)
11. Israel (1962, 1954)
12. Latvia (1972, 1999)
13. Mexico (1937)
14. Peru (1979, 1979)
15. Turkey (1984, 2002)

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):

1. Andorra (1943, 1990)
2. Angola (not known, 1992)
3. Armenia (not known, 2003)
4. Australia (1967, 1985)
5. Austria (1950, 1968)
6. Azerbaijan (1993, 1998)
7. Belgium (1950, 1996)
8. Bulgaria (1989, 1998)
9. Cambodia (not known, 1989)
10. Canada (1962, 1998)
11. Cape Verde (1835, 1981)
12. Colombia (1909, 1910)
13. Costa Rica (not known, 1877)
14. Côte d'Ivoire (not known, 2000)
15. Croatia (not known, 1990)
16. Cyprus (1962)
17. Czech Republic (N/A, 1990)
18. Denmark (1950, 1978)
19. Djibouti (none since independence, 1995)
20. Dominican Republic (not known, 1966)
21. East Timor (not known, 1999)
22. Ecuador (not known, 1906)
23. Estonia (1991, 1998)
24. Finland (1944, 1972)
25. France (1977, 1981)
26. Georgia (1994, 1997)
27. Germany (none since unification, abolished in FDR in 1949 and in GDR 1987)
28. Guinea-Bissau (1986, 1993)
29. Haiti (1972, 1987)
30. Honduras (1940, 1956)
31. Hungary (1988, 1990)
32. Iceland (1830, 1928)
33. Republic of Ireland (1954, 1990)
34. Italy (1947, 1994)
35. Kiribati (none since independence, 1979
36. Liechtenstein (1785, 1987)
37. Lithuania (1995, 1998)
38. Luxembourg (1949, 1979)
39. Republic of Macedonia (N/A, 1991)
40. Malta (1943, 2000)
41. Marshall Islands (none since indepedence, 1986
42. Mauritius (1987, 1995)
43. Micronesia (none since independence, 1986
44. Moldova (not known, 1995)
45. Monaco (1847, 1962)
46. Mozambique (1986, 1990)
47. Namibia (1988, 1990)
48. Nepal (1979, 1997)
49. Netherlands (1952, 1982)
50. New Zealand (1957, 1989)
51. Nicaragua (1930, 1979
52. Norway (1948, 1979)
53. Palau
54. Panama (1903, 1903
55. Paraguay (1928, 1992)
56. Poland (1988, 1997)
57. Portugal (1849, 1976)
58. Romania (1989, 1989)
59. San Marino (1468, 1865)
60. Sao Tome and Principe (none since independence, 1990)
61. Serbia and Montenegro (not known, 2002
62. Seychelles (none since independence, 1993
63. Slovak Republic (not known, 1990)
64. Slovenia (not known, 1989)
65. Solomon Islands (none since independence, 1966)
66. South Africa (1991, 1997)
67. Spain (1975, 1995)
68. Sweden (1910, 1972)
69. Switzerland (1944, 1992)
70. Turkmenistan (not known, 1999)
71. Tuvalu (none since independence, 1978)
72. Ukraine (not known, 1999)
73. United Kingdom (main article at Capital punishment in the United Kingdom) (1964, 1998)
74. Uruguay (not known, 1907)
75. Vanuatu (none since independence, 1980)
76. Vatican City (not known, 1969)
77. Venezuela (not known, 1863)