Global death penalty rate down

2005-10-19 13:15

New York - The drive to abolish the death penalty is making slow but steady progress around the world even though executions are still carried out in many major countries, including China, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Last month, Liberia became the 139th country to decide, through legislation, to abolish the death penalty, according to the study by the non-governmental organisation "Hands off Cain", which champions abolition.

Of those 139 countries, 88 - including Liberia - have totally banned capital punishment; 10 have done so for ordinary crimes; one - Russia - has pledged to do so as a member of the Council of Europe; five are observing a moratorium; and 35 are considered de-facto abolitionists since they have not carried out any executions for at least 10 years.

Fifty-seven countries retained the death penalty, down from 61 in 2003 and 64 in 2002.

Decline in execution rate

Among the 57 countries that have the death penalty in their legal arsenals, only 25 conducted executions in 2004, compared with 30 in 2003 and 34 in 2002.

As a result, the number of executions dropped to 5 523 last year from 5 607 the previous year.

Asia is responsible for most of the executions, with a total estimated at 5 450 in 2004. China leads with at least 5 000 (90.5% of the world's total), followed by Iran with 197, and Vietnam with at least 82, the report said.

The Americas put 59 people to death in the United States, the only country in the western hemisphere to execute anyone in 2004.

And even in the US, the 2004 figure was down compared with the 65 executed in 2003 and 71 in 2002.

Africa also showed a decline last year, with at least nine executions - in only three countries, Egypt, Sudan and Somalia - down from 56 in 2003 and 63 in 2002.

Europe was virtually a death penalty-free zone except for Belarus, where five people were put to death last year, according to the study.

- AFP