Skip to main content arrow-down arrow-tail-right arrow-triangle-right calendar camera compass download email eye facebook flag mail phone pin play send square-right tag twitter youtube badge message

14th World Day Against The Death Penalty

  • News
  • 10 Oct 2016

There is strong and growing international consensus that the death penalty cannot be enforced without inevitably violating the right not to be arbitrarily deprived of life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The number of countries that have abolished the death penalty completely for all crimes in all circumstances has tripled over the last quarter of a century and now stands at 103;  six others have abolished it for all ordinary crimes and 31 are acknowledged as ‘abolitionist in practice’: 140 countries in all. Only 39 countries have carried out an execution in the last 10 years—most of them very infrequently—whereas the number at the beginning of 1989 was 101. Last year only 25 out of 197 countries carried out an execution. The international trend is clear.

On the 14th World Day against the Death Penalty, we urge political leaders in all countries that still retain the death penalty, whether they currently carry out executions or not, to take the steps necessary to join the ranks of the majority of nations that have done away completely with the death penalty.

Latest news

“Serious breach of procedural fairness” - excessive manslaughter sentence quashed in The Bahamas
Read More
Ghana Web: Alban Bagbin praised for repeal of death penalty
Read More
IBAHRI commends abolition of the death penalty - Ghana
Read More
CLA Statement: Commending the Zambian and Ghanaian Governments for Abolishing the Death Penalty
Read More
The Week: Ghana abolishes the death penalty
Read More
The Guardian: Ghana abolishes death penalty, with expected reprieve for 176 condemned prisoners
Read More
DPP INTERVIEW: Francis-Xavier Sosu, the Ghanaian MP whose private member’s Bills have abolished the death penalty in Ghana
Read More
DPP interview with TRT - "Why are executions on the rise in a number of countries?"
Read More
Jurist: Ghana Parliament votes to end death penalty
Read More
Ghanaian Parliament votes to abolish the death penalty
Read More
The Washington Post: Ghana votes to remove the death penalty, calling it sign of ‘inhumane’ society
Read More
NGO welcomes abolition of the Death Penalty in Ghana
Read More
BBC News: Ghana Parliament votes to abolish death penalty
Read More
PRESS RELEASE: A Huge Win for Human Rights - Ghana Abolishes the Death Penalty
Read More
Ghana abolishing death penalty is a huge win for human rights – DPP
Read More
THE CONVERSATION AFRICA: It’s time for Ghana to enshrine its respect for the right to life – by abolishing the death penalty
Read More
NEW Op-ed: It’s time for Ghana to enshrine its respect for right to life – by abolishing death penalty
Read More
“Another instance where the justice system has failed a person”: Privy Council recognises multiple failures in Jamaica’s appeal processes
Read More
CLA Support Death Penalty Abolition Advocacy in Ghana
Read More

Stay up-to-date with our work