Amnesty International report­ed that exe­cu­tions world­wide fell by more than 25% last year, down from 2,148 in 2005 to 1,591 in 2006. Of all known exe­cu­tions that took place in 2006, 91% were car­ried out in six coun­tries, China (1,010), Iran (177), Pakistan (82), Iraq (65), Sudan (65), and the United States (53). Amnesty notes that exe­cu­tions in China are treat­ed as state secrets, and there may have been as many as 8,000 exe­cu­tions.

Last year, the Philippines became the 99th nation to abol­ish the death penal­ty for all crimes. Amnesty reports that many more nations, includ­ing South Korea, are on the brink of aban­don­ing cap­i­tal pun­ish­ment. Use of the death penal­ty world­wide is also becom­ing increas­ing­ly iso­lat­ed. Only 6 nations in Africa, one nation in Europe (Belarus), and one nation in the Americas (United States) car­ried out exe­cu­tions last year.

In the U.S., Amnesty not­ed that New Jersey became the first state to insti­tute a leg­isla­tive­ly man­dat­ed mora­to­ri­um on exe­cu­tions and that a study com­mis­sion in the state has called for com­plete abo­li­tion of cap­i­tal pun­ish­ment. Several oth­er states have also halt­ed exe­cu­tions because of legal chal­lenges and con­cerns relat­ed to lethal injection protocols. 

(Amnesty International USA Press Release, April 27, 2007). Read the Press Release. Read Amnesty International’s Death Penalty Statistics Report. See also, International Death Penalty.

Citation Guide