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Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned practice of killing a person as a punishment for a crime, usually following an authorised, rule-governed process to conclude that the person is responsible for violating norms that warrant said punishment. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in such a manner is known as a death sentence, and the act of carrying out the sentence is known as an execution. A prisoner who has been sentenced to death and awaits execution is condemned and is commonly referred to as being "on death row". Etymologically, the term capital refers to execution by beheading, but executions are carried out by many methods, including hanging, shooting, lethal injection, stoning, electrocution, and gassing.
Capital punishment, also called the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as a punishment for a crime. It has historically been used in almost every part of the world. Since the mid-19th century many countries have abolished or discontinued the practice. In 2022, the 5 countries that executed the most people were, in descending order, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United States.
Capital punishment in the Cook Islands, a state in free association with New Zealand, was officially part of the legal system until 2007, although the punishment had never actually been put into practice.
Capital punishment in Malawi is a legal punishment for certain crimes. The country abolished the death penalty following a Malawian Supreme Court ruling in 2021, but it was soon reinstated. However, the country is currently under a death penalty moratorium, which has been in place since the latest execution in 1992.
Capital punishment is no longer a legal punishment in Rwanda. The death penalty was abolished in the country in 2007.
Capital punishment in Lesotho is legal. However, despite not having any official death penalty moratorium in place, the country has not carried out any executions since the 1990s and is therefore considered de facto abolitionist.
The Central African Republic has abolished capital punishment, after the National Assembly passed a bill abolishing it on 27 May 2022. Prior to its abolition in law, the nation was considered "Abolitionist in Practice." The country carried out its last executions, of six unnamed men, in January 1981.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Grenada. Despite its legality, there have been no executions since 1978. Grenada is considered "abolitionist in practice", and is currently the only country in the Americas in this category. There is currently one person on death row in Grenada, as of August 30, 2021. During its United Nations Universal Periodic Review on January 27, 2020, Grenada informed the UN that it was a de facto abolitionist state with a de facto moratorium in effect since 1978, and that it would not carry out any executions. Abolishing capital punishment in law was part of one of the amendments during the failed 2016 Grenadian constitutional referendum. Grenada voted against the United Nations moratorium on the death penalty in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and most recently, in 2020. Grenada is not a signatory to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Capital punishment in Myanmar is a legal penalty. Myanmar is classified as a "retentionist" state. Before 25 July 2022, Myanmar was considered "abolitionist in practice," meaning a country has not executed anyone in the past ten years or more and is believed to have an established practice or policy against carrying out executions. Between 1988 and 2022, no legal executions were carried out in the country. In July 2022, four democratic activists, including Zayar Thaw and Kyaw Min Yu, were executed.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Guyana. Despite its legality, no executions have been carried out since 1997. However, due to a lack of "an established practice or policy against carrying out executions," Guyana is classified as a "retentionist" state. Guyana is the only country in South America that retains capital punishment for ordinary crimes.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Trinidad and Tobago. The method of execution is hanging. Its last execution was of Anthony Briggs for murder on 28 July 1999. However, the country is still considered "retentionist' due to lack of "an established practice or policy against carrying out executions." Trinidad and Tobago is the only country in the Americas that retains the mandatory death penalty for murder.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Uganda. The death penalty was likely last carried out in 1999, although some sources say the last execution in Uganda took place in 2005. Regardless, Uganda is interchangeably considered a retentionist state with regard to capital punishment, due to absence of "an established practice or policy against carrying out executions," as well as a de facto abolitionist state due to the lack of any executions for over one decade.
Capital punishment was a legal penalty in Zambia until 2022. Despite its former legality, the country had not carried out any execution since 1997. Zambia was considered "Abolitionist in Practice".
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Ghana only for high treason. Ghana last executed a criminal in 1993. It is considered "abolitionist in practice." Capital punishment was a mandatory sentence for certain ordinary criminal offenses until 2023.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Mali. Despite its legality, Mali has not executed anyone since 1980. Mali is considered "Abolitionist in Practice."
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Mauritania. However, the country is considered "Abolitionist in Practice" due to having a moratorium on executions since 1987. Mauritania last executed in 1987.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Niger. Despite its legality, the last known execution in the country was carried out in 1976 for treason. Niger is classified as "Abolitionist in Practice." There were no new death sentences recorded in 2021. There were 4 people on death row in Niger at the end of 2021.
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland. Despite its legality, no executions have been carried out since 1983. Therefore, Eswatini is classified as "abolitionist in practice."
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Tunisia. Despite its legality, no executions have been carried out since 1990. Tunisia is classified as "Abolitionist in Practice."
Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Libya. Libya is classified as a "retentionist" state. Its last known executions were carried out in 2010. The execution method is shooting.
References
- ↑ "The Death Penalty in Tanzania: Law and Practice" (PDF). British Institute of International and Comparative Law. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ↑ "Abolitionist and retentionist countries (as of July 2018)". Amnesty International. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ↑ "Death sentences and executions 2021". Amnesty International. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
- ↑ "Tanzania Rules To Keep Death Penalty". Africa Sustainability Matters. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
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