Abolish the death penalty

DEATH PENALTY IN 2009

More than two-thirds of the countries of the world have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice. While 58 countries retained the death penalty in 2009, most did not use it. Read more

The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights. It is the premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state. This cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment is done in the name of justice.

It violates the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception regardless of the nature of the crime, the characteristics of the offender, or the method used by the state to kill the prisoner.

News and Updates
Appeals for action
Video and Audio

News and Updates

Proposed China death penalty reforms may have no great impact on executions

23 August 2010

If passed, the amendments would remove the death penalty from white collar crimes such as tax fraud, which already rarely receive the punishment.

Execution of four men in Equatorial Guinea condemned

23 August 2010

Convicted after an unfair trial of attempting to assassinate the country's President, the men were sentenced and immediately executed without the opportunity to appeal.

Afghan couple stoned to death by Taleban

16 August 2010

Amnesty International condemns the executions of two people for 'eloping', carried out in a Taleban-controlled village in the province of Kunduz.

TV ‘confession’ of Iran stoning case woman criticized

12 August 2010

Amnesty International criticized the TV “confession” of an Iranian woman in which Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, awaiting execution by stoning for adultery, appears to implicate herself in the murder of her husband.

Taleban should be prosecuted for war crimes in Afghanistan

10 August 2010

Amnesty International calls for prosecutions following the release of a UN report showing a rise in targeted killings of Afghan civilians.

Appeals for action

Stop the rule of fear in Gambia

20 July 2010

People from across the world are joining together to call on the government to uphold its people's basic rights.

End execution by stoning in Iran

30 April 2010

The Iranian authorities continue to sentence people to death by stoning. Currently there are at least 11 individuals at risk of execution by stoning.

South Korea must establish an official moratorium on executions

30 October 2009

Since the beginning of 2009, Amnesty International has been concerned that the South Korean government is taking steps towards resuming executions. Sixty prisoners currently remain under sentence of death.

Stop executions in Belarus

23 March 2009

Belarus is the last country in Europe and in the former Soviet Union that still carries out executions.

India must establish a moratorium on executions

9 October 2008

As part of the sixth annual World Day against the Death Penalty, Amnesty International calls on India to take a step towards abolishing the death penalty.