Asia-Pacific
Of the 57 independent states in the Asia-Pacific region that are UN members except Taiwan:
- 19 (34%) have abolished it.
- 3 (5%) retain it for crimes committed in exceptional circumstances (such as in time of war).
- 10 (18%) permit its use for ordinary crimes, but have not used it for at least 10 years and are believed to have a policy or established practice of not carrying out executions, or it is under a moratorium.
- 25 (43%) maintain the death penalty in both law and practice.
The information above is accurate as of January 2012 when Mongolia announced the aim of abolition of capital punishment.
- In 2011 Asia had the worlds four leading practitioners of capital punishment – China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. China continues to execute more people than the rest of the world put together.
Executions in Asia in 2010: China (2000+), Iran (252+), North Korea (60+), Yemen (53+), Saudi Arabia (27+), Syria (17+), Bangladesh (9+), Taiwan (4), Japan (2), Iraq (1+), Singapore (1+), Malaysia (1+), Vietnam (5+), Bahrain (1).
Executions in Asia in 2011: China (2000+), Iran (360+), Saudi Arabia (82+), Iraq (68+), Yemen (41+), North Korea (30+), Bangladesh (5+), Taiwan (5), Vietnam (5+), Afghanistan (2), Malaysia (1+), Syria (1+), UAE (1).
Note: The tables can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the icon.
| Key | Country | Year of last execution | Executions 2011 | Year abolished | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 2011 | 2 | n/a | Current laws allow capital punishment for apostasy, homosexuality, and murder. | |
| Australia | 1967 | 1985 | Capital punishment was abolished in Queensland in 1922, Tasmania in 1968, The Northern Territory; Australian Capital Territory and the Commonwealth in 1973, Victoria in 1975, South Australia in 1976, Western Australia in 1984 and New South Wales in 1985. For more information see Capital punishment in Australia. | ||
| Bahrain | 2010 | n/a | Death penalty for premeditated murder; plotting to topple the regime; collaborating with a foreign hostile country; threatening the life of the Emir; defiance of military orders in time of war or martial law | ||
| Bangladesh | 2011 | 5+ | n/a | Death penalty for murder; drug offences; Trafficking in children for immoral or illegal purposes; trafficking in women for purposes of prostitution | |
| Bhutan | 1974 | 2004 | |||
| Brunei | *None since independence in 1984 | n/a | Last execution when a protectorate of Britain was in 1957. Death penalty for murder; unlawful possession of firearms and explosives; possession of heroin or morphine of more than 15 grams, cocaine of more than 30 grams, cannabis of more than 500 grams, syabu or methamphetamine of more than 50 grams, or opium of more than 1.2 kg | ||
| Cambodia | 1989 | 1989 | Abolished in 1989 by Constitution. | ||
| China | 2012 | 1000s | n/a | China carries out far more executions than all of the rest of the world combined, and is notable as the only country in the world that regularly executes thousands of people every year. On 25 February 2011 China's newly revised Criminal Law reduced the number of crimes punishable by death by 13,from 68 to 55. Among these are embezzlement; rape of children; fraud; bombing; people trafficking; piracy; rape; corruption; arson; murder; poaching; endangerment of national security; terrorism (see Capital punishment in the People's Republic of China)
Hong Kong and Macau, have separate legal systems and have abolished the death penalty. In Hong Kong it was abolished in 1993 by the then British colonial government, and last used in 1966 (see Capital punishment in Hong Kong). In Macau it was last used in 19th century and abolished in 1976 when Portugal abolished the death penalty on all its territories (see Capital punishment in Macau). |
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| Fiji | *None since independence in 1970 | n/a | Last execution when a colony of Britain was in 1964. Death penalty for only for crimes under the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Act. Abolished for other crimes 1979. | ||
| India | 2012 | n/a | Death penalty for Murder; instigating a child's suicide; treason; acts of terrorism; a second conviction for drug trafficking or child trafficking during the production of child pornography. For more information see Capital punishment in India | ||
| Indonesia | 2008 | n/a | Death penalty for murder; Drug trafficking; Terrorism;
Capital punishment is regulated by state Law No. 2/1964, which stipulates that death sentences should be carried out by firing squad. |
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| Iran | 2012 | 360+ | n/a | Iran is second only to China in the number of executions it carries out – regularly killing hundreds every year (many in public) Currently the death penalty can be given for murder; armed robbery; drug trafficking; kidnapping; rape; paedophilia; homosexuality; espionage; terrorism; apostasy (no recorded executions) | |
| Iraq | 2012 | 68+ | n/a | Death penalty for murder; endangering national security; distributing drugs; rape; attacks on transport convoys; financing and execution of terrorism. Suspended in June 2003 after 2003 invasion; reinstated August 2004. | |
| Israel | 1962 | n/a | Death penalty for crimes against humanity, high treason, genocide, and crimes against the Jewish people during wartime. Only two executions: accused traitor Meir Tobiansky (posthumously acquitted) and high-ranking Nazi Adolf Eichmann. Abolished for other crimes 1954. | ||
| Japan | 2012 | n/a | Prosecutors push for the death penalty only in the case of multiple murders, or single murder with aggravating circumstances. Judges usually impose death penalty in case of multiple homicides. Between 1946 and 2003 766 people were sentenced to death, 608 of whom were executed. For 40 months from 1989 to 1993 successive ministers of justice refused to authorise executions, which amounted to an informal moratorium. (See Capital punishment in Japan) | ||
| Jordan | 2006 | n/a | Death penalty for murder | ||
| Kazakhstan | 2003 | n/a | Currently capital punishment for terrorism and crimes in wartime. Moratorium since 17 December 2003. Abolished on 30 July 2009 for other crimes On 28 March 2011 the Presidential Commission for Human Rights in Astana asked the government to abolish capital punishment. | ||
| North Korea | 2012 | 30+ | n/a | North Korea performs public executions. Current laws allow the death penalty for prostitution; “drug transactions”; plots against national sovereignty; terrorism; treason against the Motherland by citizens; treason against the people; murder | |
| South Korea | 1997 | n/a | Death penalty for murder. There has been an unofficial moratorium on executions since President Kim Dae-jung took office in February 1998. However, a man was recently sentenced to death, a sentence which had not been carried out as of April 2009 | ||
| Kiribati | *None since independence in 1979 | 1979 | |||
| Kuwait | 2007 | n/a | Death penalty for drug trafficking; rape; murder | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | *None since independence in 1991 | 2007 | Kyrgyz authorities had extended a moratorium on executions each year since 1998. Abolished by constitution in 2007 | ||
| Laos | 1989 | n/a | Death penalty for drugs trafficking | ||
| Lebanon | 2004 | n/a | Death penalty for murder | ||
| Malaysia | 2011 | 1+ | n/a | Death penalty mandatory for trafficking in dangerous drugs; discharging a firearm in the commission of a scheduled offence; accomplices in case of discharge of firearm; offences against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s person; murder. Discretionary for kidnapping; consorting with a person carrying or having possession of arms or explosives; waging or attempting to wage war or abetting the waging of war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a Ruler or Yang di-Pertua Negeri | |
| Maldives | *None since independence in 1965 | n/a | Last execution when a colony of Britain was in 1952. Death penalty for murder | ||
| Marshall Islands | *None since independence in 1986 | 1986 | Abolished in 1986 by Constitution |
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| Mongolia | 2008 | After two years under an official moratorium, the State Great Khural has in 2012 formally signed the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This makes Mongolia towards abolitionist because under Article 1, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the Covenant, “No one within the jurisdiction of a State Party to the present Protocol shall be executed,” and “Each State Party shall take all necessary measures to abolish the death penalty within its jurisdiction.” (See: Capital punishment in Mongolia) | |||
| Federated States of Micronesia | *None since independence in 1986 | 1986 | Abolished in 1986 by Constitution |
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| Myanmar | 1993 | n/a | Death penalty for high treason | ||
| Nauru | *None since independence in 1968 | n/a | Death penalty for treason; Piracy; Murder | ||
| Nepal | 1979 | 1997 | Abolished 1997 by Constitution. | ||
| New Zealand | 1957 | 2007 | Abolished in New Zealand in 1989. In 2007 the Cook Islands became the last of New Zealand`s overseas territories to abolish capital punishment. For more information see Capital punishment in New Zealand | ||
| Oman | 2007 | n/a | Death penalty for murder; Drug trafficking | ||
| Pakistan | 2012 | n/a | Death penalty for murder, drug smuggling, terrorism, rape, unlawful assembly and blasphemy. (See Capital punishment in Pakistan) | ||
| Palau | *None since independence in 1994 | 1994 | |||
| Papua New Guinea | *None since independence in 1975 | n/a | Last execution when under Australian administration in November 1954. Treason; Piracy; Attempted piracy; willful murder. For more information, see Capital punishment in Papua New Guinea. | ||
| Philippines | 1999 | 2006 | Abolished in 1987 under the present constitution, re-introduced in 1993, re-abolished on 24 June 2006 under Republic Act No. 9346. | ||
| Qatar | 2003 | n/a | Death penalty for espionage; Threat to national security; Apostasy(no recorded executions) | ||
| Samoa | *None since independence in 1962 | 2004 | |||
| Saudi Arabia | 2012 | 82+ | n/a | Saudi Arabia performs public executions. Current laws allow the death penalty for many violent and nonviolent offenses, including murder; apostasy (no recorded executions); drug trafficking; rape and armed robbery drug offenses; witchcraft; sexual misconduct. Method most often used is beheading by a sword | |
| Singapore | 2010 | n/a | Death penalty for murder; kidnapping; treason; certain firearm offenses; trafficking in more than 15 grams of heroin or morphine, 30 grams of cocaine or 500 grams of cannabis (see capital punishment in Singapore) | ||
| Solomon Islands | *None since independence in 1978 | 1978 | |||
| Sri Lanka | 1976 | n/a | Death penalty for murder; perjury causing an innocent person to be executed; rape; drug trafficking. Moratorium since 1976. | ||
| Syria | 2012 | 1+ | n/a | Syria performs public executions. Current laws allow the death penalty for treason; murder; political acts such as bearing arms against Syria in the ranks of the enemy, desertion of the armed forces to the enemy and acts of incitement under martial law or in wartime; violent robbery; rape; membership of the Muslim Brotherhood; drug trafficking | |
| Tajikistan | 2004 | n/a | Death penalty for murder with aggravating circumstances; rape with aggravating circumstances; terrorism; biocide; genocide. Moratorium introduced 30 April 2004 by President Emomalii Rahmon | ||
| Taiwan | 2011 | 5 | n/a | Between 2004–2010 death sentences were not carried out (see Capital punishment in the Republic of China). Executions resumed in 2010. On 4 March 2011, five people executed. On 3 May 2011 Taiwan removed the death penalty clauses from its Military Law statutes | |
| Thailand | 2009 | n/a | Death penalty for regicide; sedition or rebellion; offences committed against the external security of Thailand; murder or attempted murder of a foreign head of state; bribery; arson; rape; murder with intent; kidnapping; robbery resulting in death. For a full list see here (PDF) | ||
| Timor-Leste | *None since independence in 2002 | 2002. | Death penalty suspended following UN administration in 1999 when still a province of Indonesia. Capital Punishment abolished by constitution 2002. | ||
| Tonga | 1982 | n/a | Death penalty for treason, Murder; For more information see Capital punishment in Tonga | ||
| Turkmenistan | 1997 | 1999 | Abolished 1999 by Constitution. | ||
| Tuvalu | *None since independence in 1978 | 1978 | |||
| United Arab Emirates | 2011 | 1 | n/a | Death penalty for murder; Drug offences; Rape; treason; aggravated robbery; terrorism | |
| Uzbekistan | 2005 | 2008 | President Islam Karimov signed a decree on 1 August 2005 that replaced the death penalty with life imprisonment on 1 January 2008 | ||
| Vanuatu | *None since independence in 1980 | 1980 | |||
| Vietnam | 2011 | 5+ | n/a | Death penalty for treason; taking action to overthrow the government; espionage; rebellion; banditry; terrorism; sabotage; hijacking; destruction of national security projects; undermining peace; war crimes; crimes against humanity; manufacturing, concealing and trafficking in narcotic substances; murder; rape; robbery; embezzlement; fraud | |
| Yemen | 2011 | 41+ | n/a | Yemen performs public executions. Current laws allow the death penalty for murder; Adultery; homosexuality; Apostasy (no recorded executions) |
Read more about this topic: Use Of Capital Punishment By Country