The Death Penalty 1998-2009

Death penalty from 1998 until 2009

According to updated information of amnesty international 139 states and areas have abolished (abgeschafft) the capital punishment by law or in practice, 94 of them completely.

From remaining 45 states 10 intend (beabsichtigen) the capital punishment only in special cases, for example, in the law of war.
Other 35 states intend the capital punishment in the law and cover death sentences, but didn’t practised it for the last ten years.
58 states have still the capital punishment in the law, but only few of them execute them really every year.

In 2005 there came Mexico and Liberia, in 2006 the Philippines, in 2007 Albania, Rwanda and Kirgisistan, in 2008 Argentina, Burundi and Togo there. Since 1985 two states, Gambia and Papua New Guinea, the capital punishment have introduced after passing abolition again, have not applied, however, since that time again. The whole trend has unbroken: During the last 20 years have well taken half of all states which still applied the capital punishment of it from distance.

In 2008 at least 2,390 became worldwide (cf. in 2004: 3.797) people in 25 countries executed, other 8.864 (in 2004: 7.395) became in 52 (in 2004: 64) to countries condemns to the death. All together wait between 19,000 and 24,000 people in death cells for her execution.

According to amnesty the capital punishment is Internationally worldwide in the retreat. The following picture arises from the press releases [6] of the OW last years; however, the figures are expressive a little, because the dark figure is higher around a multiple:

2004: 3.797 executions
2005: 2.148 executions
2006: 1.591 executions
2007: 1.252 executions
2008: 2,390 executions

About 97 percent of all known executions were cancelled in 2008 to five states:

The People`s Republic of China: at least 1,780 (approx. 75%)
Iran: at least 346 (approx. 15%)
Saudi Arabia: at least 102 (approx. 4.2%)
The USA: 37 (approx. 1.5%)
Pakistan: at least 36 (ca.1.5 %)