Interactive map: Drug offences and the death penalty

News

Interactive map: Drug offences and the death penalty

27 November 2014

Of the 58 countries in the world that still have the death penalty in place, over half have made it applicable to people who have committed, for the most part, non-violent drug crimes.

Last year, at least seven countries carried out executions for people convicted of drug-related offences, ranging from international drug trafficking and manufacturing, to growing and simple possession.

In its 2012 report, Harm Reduction International estimated that out of the 33 countries that still impose the death penalty for drug-related offences, actual executions took place in 12-14 countries over the previous five years. In the past 12 years a number of countries have begun to abolish the death penalty for drug crimes, including Tajikistan and Jordan. The Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan and the Philippines, meanwhile, have all made reforms and totally abolished the death penalty for all offences.

Many of the countries included in the map below have not carried out executions for drugs crimes in a number of years, with the penalty more of a symbolic one. However, even a small number of countries maintaining this practice is completely unacceptable, and wholly disproportionate.

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