Report No. 35
Appendix IV
Country-Wise Statement of Abolition or Retention1-3
(Arranged Alphabetically)
Explanation of Symbols
AJ Abolitionist de jure
AF Abolitionist de facto
AC Almost completely abolitionist
R Retentionist
Notes.- (1) Year in brackets show the year of abolition (or final abolition after re-introduction) in the country concerned.
(2) Figures 8, 10, 11 or 12 in brackets against each country indicate the relevant paragraph in the U.N Publication3 where the name of the country is mentioned.
Afghanistan (8) |
R |
Arab Republic |
See U.A.R. |
Argentina (1922) (10) |
A J |
Australia (except two States) (8) |
R |
Australia (Queensland) (10) |
A J |
Australia (New South Wales) (12) |
A C |
Austria (1945) except in the event of proclamation of a state of emergency (10) |
A J |
Belgium (1867) (11) |
A F |
Brazil (1889) (10) |
A J |
Burma (8) |
R |
Cambodia (8) |
R |
Canada (8) |
R |
Central African Republic (8) |
R |
Ceylon (8) |
R |
Chile (8) |
R |
China (Taiwan) (8) |
R |
Colombia (1910) (10) |
A J |
Costa Rica (1882) (10) |
A J |
Cuba (8) |
R |
Czechoslovakia (8) |
R |
Dahomey (8) |
R |
Denmark (1930) (10) |
A J |
Dominican Republic (1924) (10) |
A J |
Ecuador (1897) (10) |
A J |
El Salvador (8) |
R |
Federal Republic of Germany |
See "Germany" |
Finland (1949) (10) |
A J |
France (8) |
R |
Gambia (8) |
R |
Germany (Federal Republic) (1949) (10) |
A J |
Ghana (8) |
R |
Gibraltar (8) |
R |
Greece (8) |
R |
Greenland (1954) (10) |
A J |
Guatemala (8) |
R |
Hong Kong (8) |
R |
Iceland (1940) (10) |
A J |
India (8) |
R |
Indonesia (8) |
R |
Iran (8) |
R |
Iraq (8) |
R |
Ireland (8) |
R |
Italy (1944) (10) |
A F |
Ivory Coast (8) |
R |
Japan (8) |
R |
Laos (8) |
R |
Lebanon (8) |
R |
Liberia (8) |
R |
Liechtenstein (1798) (11) |
A F |
Luxembourg (11) |
A F |
Malaya (8) |
R |
Mauritius (8) |
R |
Mexico (four States out of 29 i.e. the States of Morelos, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosi and Tabasco) (8) |
R |
Mexico (25 States out of 29 and the Federal territory) Constitution, 1931 (10) |
A J |
Morocco (8) |
R |
Netherlands (1870) (10) |
A J |
Netherlands Antilles (1957) (10) |
A J |
Netherlands New Guinea (8) |
R |
New Zealand (retains for treason only. See Crimes Act, 1961, sections 74 and 172) |
A C |
Nicaragua (12) |
A C |
Nigeria (8) |
R |
Northern Rhodesia (8) |
R |
Norway (1905) (10) |
A J |
Nyasaland (8) |
R |
Pakistan (8) |
R |
Philippines (8) |
R |
Poland (8) |
R |
Portugal (1867) (10) |
A J |
San Marino (1865) (10) |
A J |
Senegal (8) |
R |
Seychelles (8) |
R |
Somalia (Northern) (8) |
R |
Somalia (Central and Southern) (8) |
R |
South Africa (8) |
R |
Spain (8) |
R |
Sudan (8) |
R |
Surinam (8) |
R |
Sweden (1921) (10) |
A J |
Switzerland (1937) (10) |
A J |
Tanganyika (8) |
R |
Thailand (8) |
R |
Togo (8) |
R |
Turkey (8) |
R |
United Arab Republic (8) |
R |
United Kingdom (8) (for capital murder) |
R |
United States of America-Alaska (1957), Delware (1958), Hawaii (1957), Maine (1887), Minnesota (1911), Wisconsin (1853) (10) |
A J |
United States of America-Michigan (1847), North Dakota (1915), Rhode Island (1852) (12) |
A C |
North Dakota and Rhode Island provide death penalty for murder committed by a lifer in prison. Michigan has kept it for treason.) |
|
United States of America (in principle, 42 states out of 50, the District of Columbia and the Federal system) (8) |
R |
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (8) |
R |
Uruguay (1907) (10) |
A J |
Vatican City State (11) |
A F |
Venezuela (1863) (10) |
A J |
Vietnam (8) |
R |
Western Pacific Islands (8) |
R |
Yugoslavia (8) |
R |
Zanzibar (8) |
R |
1. Prepared on the basis of information given in U.N. Publication "Capital Punishment", (1962), pp. 7 and 8, paras..-12.
2. A table of Abolitionist States is given in Joyce, Right to life, (1962) p. 242.
3. U.N. Publication "Capital Punishment", (1962), pp. 7 and 8.
4. See Joyce Right to Life, p. 167.
5. Joyce Right to Life, p. 159.
Back
