The death penalty remains a divisive issue globally. While many nations have abolished it, others continue to execute individuals for serious crimes.
The offences warranting capital punishment vary depending on a country’s laws and traditions, with some applying it for violent crimes like murder and others for drug trafficking, terrorism, or political dissent.
Countries and Their Execution Methods
1. China
Crimes Punishable by Death: Murder, drug trafficking, corruption, terrorism, treason, and economic crimes.
Execution Methods: Lethal injection and shooting.
China executes more people than any other country, though exact figures remain undisclosed. Lethal injection has largely replaced shooting, but both methods are still in use.
2. Iran
Crimes Punishable by Death: Murder, drug trafficking, rape, armed robbery, blasphemy, and homosexuality.
Execution Method: Hanging.
Iran frequently executes individuals for drug-related and violent crimes, sometimes carrying out public executions as a deterrent.
3. Saudi Arabia
Crimes Punishable by Death: Murder, drug trafficking, terrorism, rape, armed robbery, apostasy, and adultery.
Execution Method: Beheading.
Saudi Arabia conducts executions publicly, often following Islamic law. Beheadings are commonly used for capital offences.
4. United States
Crimes Punishable by Death: Murder with aggravating factors, terrorism, treason, and large-scale drug trafficking.
Execution Methods: Lethal injection, electrocution, firing squad, gas chamber, and hanging (in some states).
Not all U.S. states enforce the death penalty, and some have abolished it. Lethal injection is the most common method, though alternatives exist.
5. North Korea
Crimes Punishable by Death: Treason, espionage, political crimes, watching banned media, drug trafficking, and attempted defection.
Execution Methods: Firing squad and hanging.
North Korea is secretive about its executions, but reports indicate that public executions are used to instill fear.
6. Egypt
Crimes Punishable by Death: Terrorism, murder, rape, and drug trafficking.
Execution Method: Hanging.
Egypt enforces the death penalty primarily for terrorism-related offences, often after mass trials, attracting international criticism.
7. Japan
Crimes Punishable by Death: Mass murder and extremely violent crimes.
Execution Method: Hanging.
Executions in Japan occur rarely and are conducted in secrecy, with prisoners given no prior warning.
8. Pakistan
Crimes Punishable by Death: Murder, terrorism, blasphemy, rape, and drug trafficking.
Execution Method: Hanging.
Pakistan has a high number of death row inmates. While blasphemy laws allow for capital punishment, executions for such cases are rare.
9. Iraq
Crimes Punishable by Death: Terrorism, murder, and kidnapping.
Execution Method: Hanging.
Iraq frequently executes individuals for terrorism-related offences, often with concerns over due process and fair trials.
10. Somalia
Crimes Punishable by Death: Murder, terrorism, and treason.
Execution Method: Firing squad.
Executions in Somalia are often public, particularly for crimes linked to terrorism.
11. Vietnam
Crimes Punishable by Death: Drug trafficking, murder, corruption (in extreme cases), treason, espionage, and terrorism.
Execution Method: Lethal injection (previously firing squad until 2011).
While some governments argue that capital punishment deters crime, human rights organizations continue to advocate for its abolition, deeming it inhumane and outdated.
