Last updated on: 5/19/2021 | Author: ProCon.org

International Death Penalty Status

55

countries have a legal death penalty

28

countries have made the death penalty illegal in practice

8

countries use the death penalty for exceptional crimes only

108

countries have made the death penalty illegal

All data is from Amnesty International’s 2021 report on the global status of the death penalty. Below, find Amnesty International’s definitions, and the language ProCon has used to conform to site standards, followed by a list of each country and the status of the death penalty therein.


Legal (Retentionist): “Countries that retain the death penalty for ordinary crimes.”

Illegal in Practice (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 last 10 years and are believed to have a policy or established practice of not carrying out executions.”

Exceptional Crimes Only (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.”

Illegal for All Crimes (Abolitionist for All Crimes): “Countries whose laws do not provide for the death penalty for any crime.”


CountryStatus of Death Penalty
Afghanistanlegal
Albaniaillegal
Algeriaillegal in practice
Andorraillegal
Angolaillegal
Antigua and Barbudalegal
Argentinaillegal
Armeniaillegal
Australiaillegal
Austriaillegal
Azerbaijanillegal
Bahamaslegal
Bahrainlegal
Bangladeshlegal
Barbadoslegal
Belaruslegal
Belgiumillegal
Belizelegal
Beninillegal
Bhutanillegal
Boliviaillegal
Bosnia and Herzegovinaillegal
Botswanalegal
Brazilexceptional crimes only
Brunei Darussalamillegal in practice
Bulgariaillegal
Burkina Fasoexceptional crimes only
Burundiillegal
Cabo Verdeillegal
Cambodiaillegal
Cameroonillegal in practice
Canadaillegal
Central African Republicillegal in practice
Chadillegal
Chileexceptional crimes only
Chinalegal
Colombiaillegal
Comoroslegal
Congo (Republic of the)illegal
Cook Islandsillegal
Costa Ricaillegal
Côte d’Ivoireillegal
Croatiaillegal
Cubalegal
Cyprusillegal
Czech Republicillegal
Democratic Republic of the Congolegal
Denmarkillegal
Djiboutiillegal
Dominicalegal
Dominican Republicillegal
Ecuadorillegal
Egyptlegal
El Salvadorexceptional crimes only
Equatorial Guinealegal
Eritreaillegal in practice
Estoniaillegal
Eswatini (former Swaziland)illegal in practice
Ethiopialegal
Fijiillegal
Finlandillegal
Franceillegal
Gabonillegal
Gambialegal
Georgiaillegal
Germanyillegal
Ghanaillegal in practice
Greeceillegal
Grenadaillegal in practice
Guatemalaexceptional crimes only
Guineaillegal
Guinea-Bissauillegal
Guyanalegal
Haitiillegal
Hondurasillegal
Hungaryillegal
Icelandillegal
Indialegal
Indonesialegal
Iranlegal
Iraqlegal
Irelandillegal
Israelexceptional crimes only
Italyillegal
Jamaicalegal
Japanlegal
Jordanlegal
Kazakhstanexceptional crimes only
Kenyaillegal in practice
Kiribatiillegal
Kosovoillegal
Kuwaitlegal
Kyrgyzstanillegal
Laosillegal in practice
Latviaillegal
Lebanonlegal
Lesotholegal
Liberiaillegal in practice
Libyalegal
Liechtensteinillegal
Lithuaniaillegal
Luxembourgillegal
Madagascarillegal
Malawiillegal in practice
Malaysialegal
Maldivesillegal in practice
Maliillegal in practice
Maltaillegal
Marshall Islandsillegal
Mauritaniaillegal in practice
Mauritiusillegal
Mexicoillegal
Micronesiaillegal
Moldovaillegal
Monacoillegal
Mongoliaillegal
Montenegroillegal
Morocco/Western Saharaillegal in practice
Mozambiqueillegal
Myanmarillegal in practice
Namibiaillegal
Nauruillegal
Nepalillegal
Netherlandsillegal
New Zealandillegal
Nicaraguaillegal
Nigerillegal in practice
Nigerialegal
Niueillegal
North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)legal
North Macedoniaillegal
Norwayillegal
Omanlegal
Pakistanlegal
Palauillegal
Palestine (State of)legal
Panamaillegal
Papua New Guineaillegal in practice
Paraguayillegal
Peruexceptional crimes only
Philippinesillegal
Polandillegal
Portugalillegal
Qatarlegal
Romaniaillegal
Russian Federationillegal in practice
Rwandaillegal
Saint Kitts and Nevislegal
Saint Lucialegal
Saint Vincent and the Grenadineslegal
Samoaillegal
San Marinoillegal
Sao Tome and Principeillegal
Saudi Arabialegal
Senegalillegal
Serbiaillegal
Seychellesillegal
Sierra Leoneillegal in practice
Singaporelegal
Slovakiaillegal
Sloveniaillegal
Solomon Islandsillegal
Somalialegal
South Africaillegal
South Korea (Republic of Korea)illegal in practice
South Sudanlegal
Spainillegal
Sri Lankaillegal in practice
Sudanlegal
Surinameillegal
Swedenillegal
Switzerlandillegal
Syrialegal
Taiwanlegal
Tajikistanillegal in practice
Tanzaniaillegal in practice
Thailandlegal
Timor-Lesteillegal
Togoillegal
Tongaillegal in practice
Trinidad and Tobagolegal
Tunisiaillegal in practice
Turkeyillegal
Turkmenistanillegal
Tuvaluillegal
Ugandalegal
Ukraineillegal
United Arab Emirateslegal
United Kingdomillegal
United Stateslegal
Uruguayillegal
Uzbekistanillegal
Vanuatuillegal
Vatican Cityillegal
Venezuelaillegal
Vietnamlegal
Yemenlegal
Zambiaillegal in practice
Zimbabwelegal

Source: Amnesty International, “Death Sentences and Executions 2020,” amnesty.org, 2021