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Legal status of the death penalty

What this indicator measures

Shows whether the death penalty still exists in the country's law: abolished for all crimes, abolished except for exceptional crimes (such as treason or war crimes), retained in law but with no executions for at least ten years, or retained and applied.

How to read this?

“Abolished” means that no crime is punished by death; “Retained and applied” means that executions have taken place recently.

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195countries with data
2026data year(s)

In brief

Legal status of the death penalty: 195 countries and territories covered. Breakdown: Abolished for all crimes : 112 ; Abolished except for exceptional crimes : 7 ; Abolitionist in practice (no executions for 10 years) : 23 ; Retained and applied : 53.

Why this indicator matters

The death penalty is one of the most debated criminal penalties. Comparing its legal status shows which countries have abolished it, kept it in law or still apply it.

What makes this indicator vary

The status depends on criminal history, legal and religious traditions, public debate and international commitments. Many countries have changed position over the course of reforms and political changes.

Reading precautions

The classification distinguishes between law and practice: a country can keep the penalty in its texts without applying it. Execution figures are sometimes secret. The status can change and updates may lag.

Legal status of the death penalty

Abolished for all crimes (112)

Abolished except for exceptional crimes (7)

Abolitionist in practice (no executions for 10 years) (23)

Retained and applied (53)

Frequently asked questions

Where does the "Legal status of the death penalty" data come from?

It comes from Wikipédia, « Capital punishment by country » (d’après Amnesty International et les textes nationaux). Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.

What does abolitionist in practice mean?

It means that the death penalty still exists in law, but no execution has taken place for at least about ten years.

What is the difference between abolished and retained?

Abolished means that no crime is punished by death under the law. Retained means that the law provides for it, whether or not there have been recent executions.

Source and update

Source : Wikipédia, « Capital punishment by country » (d’après Amnesty International et les textes nationaux). Site last updated: November 8, 2026.

Indicators in the same category : Justice and security