Death Penalty Policy by Country 2024

	Afghanistan	Retentionist
	Albania	Abolitionist
	Algeria	Abolitionist in Practice
	Andorra	Abolitionist
	Angola	Abolitionist
	Antigua and Barbuda	Retentionist
	Argentina	Abolitionist
	Armenia	Abolitionist
	Australia	Abolitionist
	Austria	Abolitionist
	Azerbaijan	Abolitionist
	Bahamas	Retentionist
	Bahrain	Retentionist
	Bangladesh	Retentionist
	Barbados	Retentionist
	Belarus	Retentionist
	Belgium	Abolitionist
	Belize	Retentionist
	Benin	Abolitionist
	Bhutan	Abolitionist
	Bolivia	Abolitionist
	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Abolitionist
	Botswana	Retentionist
	Brazil	Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes
	Brunei	Abolitionist in Practice
	Bulgaria	Abolitionist
	Burkina Faso	Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes
	Burundi	Abolitionist
	Cambodia	Abolitionist
	Cameroon	Abolitionist in Practice
	Canada	Abolitionist
	Central African Republic	Abolitionist in Practice
	Chad	Abolitionist
	Chile	Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes
	China	Retentionist
	Colombia	Abolitionist
	Comoros	Retentionist
	Costa Rica	Abolitionist
	Croatia	Abolitionist
	Cuba	Retentionist
	Cyprus	Abolitionist
	Czech Republic	Abolitionist
	DR Congo	Retentionist
	Denmark	Abolitionist
	Djibouti	Abolitionist
	Dominican Republic	Retentionist
	Dominican Republic	Abolitionist
	Ecuador	Abolitionist
	Egypt	Retentionist
	El Salvador	Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes
	Equatorial Guinea	Retentionist
	Eritrea	Abolitionist in Practice
	Estonia	Abolitionist
	Eswatini	Abolitionist in Practice
	Ethiopia	Retentionist
	Fiji	Abolitionist
	Finland	Abolitionist
	France	Abolitionist
	Gabon	Abolitionist
	Gambia	Retentionist
	Georgia	Abolitionist
	Germany	Abolitionist
	Ghana	Abolitionist in Practice
	Greece	Abolitionist
	Grenada	Abolitionist in Practice
	Guatemala	Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes
	Guinea	Abolitionist
	Guinea Bissau	Abolitionist
	Guyana	Retentionist
	Haiti	Abolitionist
	Honduras	Abolitionist
	Hong Kong	Abolitionist
	Hungary	Abolitionist
	Iceland	Abolitionist
	India	Retentionist
	Indonesia	Retentionist
	Iran	Retentionist
	Iraq	Retentionist
	Ireland	Abolitionist
	Israel	Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes
	Italy	Abolitionist
	Ivory Coast	Abolitionist
	Jamaica	Retentionist
	Japan	Retentionist
	Jordan	Retentionist
	Kazakhstan	Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes
	Kenya	Abolitionist in Practice
	Kosovo	Abolitionist
	Kuwait	Retentionist
	Kyrgyzstan	Abolitionist
	Laos	Abolitionist in Practice
	Latvia	Abolitionist
	Lebanon	Retentionist
	Lesotho	Retentionist
	Liberia	Abolitionist in Practice
	Libya	Retentionist
	Liechtenstein	Abolitionist
	Lithuania	Abolitionist
	Luxembourg	Abolitionist
	Madagascar	Abolitionist
	Malawi	Abolitionist in Practice
	Malaysia	Retentionist
	Maldives	Abolitionist in Practice
	Mali	Abolitionist in Practice
	Malta	Abolitionist
	Marshall Islands	Abolitionist
	Mauritania	Abolitionist in Practice
	Mauritius	Abolitionist
	Mexico	Abolitionist
	Micronesia	Abolitionist
	Moldova	Abolitionist
	Monaco	Abolitionist
	Mongolia	Abolitionist
	Montenegro	Abolitionist
	Morocco	Abolitionist in Practice
	Mozambique	Abolitionist
	Myanmar	Abolitionist in Practice
	Namibia	Abolitionist
	Nauru	Abolitionist
	Nepal	Abolitionist
	Netherlands	Abolitionist
	New Zealand	Abolitionist
	Nicaragua	Abolitionist
	Niger	Abolitionist in Practice
	Nigeria	Retentionist
	North Korea	Retentionist
	North Macedonia	Abolitionist
	Norway	Abolitionist
	Oman	Retentionist
	Pakistan	Retentionist
	Palau	Abolitionist
	Palestine	Retentionist
	Panama	Abolitionist
	Papua New Guinea	Abolitionist in Practice
	Paraguay	Abolitionist
	Peru	Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes
	Philippines	Abolitionist
	Poland	Abolitionist
	Portugal	Abolitionist
	Puerto Rico	Retentionist
	Qatar	Retentionist
	Republic of the Congo	Abolitionist
	Romania	Abolitionist
	Russia	Abolitionist in Practice
	Rwanda	Abolitionist
	Saint Kitts and Nevis	Retentionist
	Saint Lucia	Retentionist
	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Retentionist
	San Marino	Abolitionist
	Sao Tome and Principe	Abolitionist
	Saudi Arabia	Retentionist
	Senegal	Abolitionist
	Serbia	Abolitionist
	Seychelles	Abolitionist
	Sierra Leone	Abolitionist in Practice
	Singapore	Retentionist
	Slovakia	Abolitionist
	Slovenia	Abolitionist
	Solomon Islands	Abolitionist
	Somalia	Retentionist
	South Africa	Abolitionist
	South Korea	Abolitionist in Practice
	South Sudan	Retentionist
	Spain	Abolitionist
	Sri Lanka	Abolitionist in Practice
	Sudan	Retentionist
	Suriname	Abolitionist
	Sweden	Abolitionist
	Switzerland	Abolitionist
	Syria	Retentionist
	Taiwan	Retentionist
	Tajikistan	Abolitionist in Practice
	Tanzania	Abolitionist in Practice
	Thailand	Retentionist
	Timor Leste	Abolitionist
	Togo	Abolitionist
	Trinidad and Tobago	Retentionist
	Tunisia	Abolitionist in Practice
	Turkey	Abolitionist
	Turkmenistan	Abolitionist
	Uganda	Retentionist
	Ukraine	Abolitionist
	United Arab Emirates	Retentionist
	United Kingdom	Abolitionist
	United States	Retentionist
	Uruguay	Abolitionist
	Uzbekistan	Abolitionist
	Vanuatu	Abolitionist
	Vatican City	Abolitionist
	Venezuela	Abolitionist
	Vietnam	Retentionist
	Yemen	Retentionist
	Zambia	Abolitionist in Practice
	Zimbabwe	Retentionist

The Global Landscape of Death Penalty Policies

The use of the death penalty—or capital punishment—as a form of retribution for serious crimes sparks heated debate worldwide. It forces us to confront our basic beliefs about human rights, justice, and the value of human life. With countries divided into "retentionist" (ones that retain the practice), "abolitionist" (ones that have abolished the practice), and "abolitionist in practice" (where capital punishment is still law but hasn't been executed in over a decade), the divide is evident.

Geographical patterns confirm that western European countries and many countries in the Americas (including Canada, Uruguay, and most South American nations) stand distinctly in the abolitionist group. In fact, all EU member states have abolished the death penalty.
The United States and several countries in Asia (like China, India, Japan, and Iran) and Africa remain retentionist, executing capital punishments as per the gravity of crimes.
It is intriguing to note that countries such as Russia and Kenya are classified as 'abolitionist in practice.' Although they have capital punishment laws, they haven't carried out any executions for the past 10 years or more.
According to this data, a significant proportion of the global community have moved beyond capital punishment. With 109 countries that have abolished the death penalty for all crimes and another 28 effectively practicing abolition.
There are also nations with a non-uniform status. For instance, Peru and Guatemala are 'abolitionist for ordinary crimes', meaning they reserve capital punishment only for exceptional situations, like during times of war.

By Region

Afghanistan

See Less

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Albania

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Algeria

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Andorra

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Angola

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Antigua and Barbuda

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Argentina

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Armenia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Australia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Austria

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Azerbaijan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Bahamas

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Bahrain

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Bangladesh

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Barbados

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Belarus

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Belgium

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Belize

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Benin

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Bhutan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Bolivia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Botswana

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Brazil

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes

Brunei

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Bulgaria

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Burkina Faso

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes

Burundi

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Cambodia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Cameroon

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Canada

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Central African Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Chad

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Chile

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes

China

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Colombia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Comoros

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Costa Rica

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Croatia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Cuba

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Cyprus

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Czech Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

DR Congo

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Denmark

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Djibouti

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Dominican Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Dominican Republic

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Ecuador

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Egypt

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

El Salvador

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes

Equatorial Guinea

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Eritrea

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Estonia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Eswatini

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Ethiopia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Fiji

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Finland

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

France

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Gabon

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Gambia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Germany

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Ghana

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Greece

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Grenada

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Guatemala

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes

Guinea

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Guinea Bissau

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Guyana

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Haiti

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Honduras

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Hong Kong

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Hungary

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Iceland

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

India

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Indonesia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Iran

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Iraq

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Ireland

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Israel

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes

Italy

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Ivory Coast

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Jamaica

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Japan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Jordan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Kazakhstan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes

Kenya

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Kosovo

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Kuwait

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Kyrgyzstan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Laos

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Latvia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Lebanon

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Lesotho

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Liberia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Libya

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Liechtenstein

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Lithuania

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Luxembourg

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Madagascar

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Malawi

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Malaysia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Maldives

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Mali

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Malta

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Marshall Islands

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Mauritania

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Mauritius

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Micronesia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Moldova

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Monaco

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Mongolia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Montenegro

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Morocco

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Mozambique

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Myanmar

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Namibia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Nauru

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Nepal

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Netherlands

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

New Zealand

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Nicaragua

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Niger

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Nigeria

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

North Korea

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

North Macedonia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Norway

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Oman

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Pakistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Palau

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Palestine

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Panama

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Papua New Guinea

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Paraguay

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Peru

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist for Ordinary Crimes

Philippines

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Poland

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Portugal

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Puerto Rico

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Qatar

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Republic of the Congo

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Romania

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Russia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Rwanda

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Saint Lucia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

San Marino

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Sao Tome and Principe

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Saudi Arabia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Senegal

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Serbia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Seychelles

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Sierra Leone

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Singapore

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Slovakia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Slovenia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Solomon Islands

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Somalia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

South Africa

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

South Korea

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

South Sudan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Spain

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Sri Lanka

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Sudan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Suriname

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Sweden

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Switzerland

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Syria

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Taiwan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Tajikistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Tanzania

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Thailand

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Timor Leste

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Togo

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Trinidad and Tobago

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Tunisia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Turkey

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Turkmenistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Uganda

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Ukraine

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

United Arab Emirates

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

United Kingdom

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

United States

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Uruguay

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Uzbekistan

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Vanuatu

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Vatican City

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Venezuela

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist

Vietnam

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Yemen

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Zambia

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Abolitionist in Practice

Zimbabwe

Metric

Value

Rank

Death Penalty Policy

Retentionist

Additional Crime Datasets