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Europe holds the greatest concentration of abolitionist states (blue). Map current as of Feb. 2011
  Abolished for all offenses (97)
  Abolished for all offenses except under special circumstances (7)
  Retains, though not used for at least 10 years (48)
  Retains death penalty (42)*
*Note that, while laws vary between U.S. states, it is considered retentionist because the federal death penalty is still in active use.

The death penalty has been abolished in all European countries, except for Belarus. The absolute ban on the death penalty is enshrined in both the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU) and the European Convention on Human Rights of the Council of Europe, and thus considered a central value. Of all modern European countries, San Marino and Portugal were the first to abolish and only Belarus still practices capital punishment. In 2012, Latvia became the last EU Member State to abolish capital punishment in war time.[1]

Abolition

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Abolition has been common in European history, but has only been a real trend since the end of the Second World War when human rights became a particular priority. The European Convention on Human Rights was adopted in 1950 but some countries took many years to ratify it. The United Kingdom retained the death penalty for high treason until 1998 (William Joyce was the last person to be put to death for high treason in the UK, on 3 January 1946).

Latvia was the latest country to ratify (2011) protocol 13 in abolishing the penalty for all crimes. The legislation entered into force three months after the instrument of ratification was deposited in 2012.[2] Azerbaijan and Russia have not signed protocol 13, while Armenia and Poland have signed but not yet ratified.[3] All have, however, abolished the death penalty.

A moratorium on death penalty has been in place in Russia until Jan 1, 2010. According to the Nov 19, 2009, decision of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation the death penalty shall not be practiced in Russia at any time before the ratification of the above mentioned protocol. The Constitutional Court has also clarified that the decision is not an extension of the moratorium, but the abolition of the capital punishment since it will be no longer possible to practice it legally.

2009 was the first year that no one was executed anywhere in Europe, however in March 2010 Belarus executed the last two people on its death row.[4]

The European Union (EU) has long since been against the death penalty, supporting the European Convention, and its 2000 Charter of Fundamental Rights included an absolute ban on the death penalty in all circumstances. The Charter has been made legally binding by the Treaty of Lisbon as it got fully ratified and effective on December 1, 2009.[5] The treaty also has a provision for the EU to join the Council of Europe and accede to the European Convention on Human Rights. The EU has been an active promoter of abolition worldwide and has been promoting a UN convention against it, however some national governments such as Poland have opposed such moves.

Country Method Year of last use (peacetime) Abolished (peacetime) Year of last use (wartime) Abolished (wartime)
Albania Albania Hanging 1995 2000 ? 2007
Andorra Andorra Firing squad 1943 1990 ? 1996?
Armenia Armenia Single shot 1991 2003 ? -
Austria Austria Hanging 1950 1950 ? 1968?
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Single shot 1993 1998 ? -
Belarus Belarus Single shot 2012 - ? -
Belgium Belgium Guillotine 1863 1996 1950[citation needed] 1996
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ? 1975 2000 ? 2000?
Bulgaria Bulgaria Firing squad 1989 1998 ? 1998?
Croatia Croatia Firing squad 1973 1990 ? 1997?
Cyprus Cyprus Hanging 1962 2002 ? 2002?
Czech Republic Czech Republic Hanging 1989 1990 ? 1990?
Denmark Denmark Beheading, Firing squad 1892 1930 1950[citation needed] 1994
Estonia Estonia Single shot 1991 1998 ? 1998?
Finland Finland Beheading 1825 1949 1944 1972
France France Guillotine 1977 1981[6] ? 2002
Georgia (country) Georgia Single shot 1995 2000 ? 2000
Germany Germany Guillotine, Hanging, Firing Squad 1949 1949 1945 1949
East Germany East Germany Guillotine, Single shot 1981 1987 1945 1987
Greece Greece Firing Squad 1972 1975 ? 2004
Hungary Hungary Hanging 1988 1990 ? ?
Iceland Iceland Beheading 1830 1928 - -
Republic of Ireland Ireland Hanging 1954 1990 1922 2002
Italy Italy Firing Squad 1947 1948 ? 1994
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan ? - ? ? -
Kosovo Republic of Kosovo ? None since independence 2008 None since independence 2008
Latvia Latvia Shooting 1996 1999 ? 2012
Liechtenstein Liechtenstein ? 1785 1989 ? ?
 Lithuania Shooting 1995 1996 ? ?
Luxembourg Luxembourg ? ? ? ? ?
North Macedonia Republic of Macedonia None since independence ? ? None since independence ?
Malta Malta Hanging ? 1971 1943 2000
Moldova Moldova ? ? ? ? ?
Monaco Monaco ? ? ? ? ?
Montenegro Montenegro ? None since independence ? None since independence ?
Netherlands Netherlands Hanging 1860 1878 1952 [7] 1983
Norway Norway Firing squad 1876 1902 1948[citation needed] 1979
Poland Poland Hanging 1988 1998 ? -
Portugal Portugal Hanging, Garrotte, Firing squad 1846 1867 1918? 1976
Romania Romania Firing Squad 1989 1990 ? 1991
Russia Russia Shooting 1996[8] -[8] ? -[8]
San Marino San Marino ? 1468 1876 ? ?
Serbia Serbia ? 1992 2001 ? 2001
Slovakia Slovakia ? None since independence ? None since independence ?
Slovenia Slovenia Hanging 1957 1989 ? 1991
 Spain Garrote, Firing squad 1975 1978 ? 1995
Sweden Sweden Guillotine 1910 1921 ? 1973
Switzerland Switzerland Beheading 1940 1942 1945? 1992
Turkey Turkey Hanging 1984 2002 ? 2004
Ukraine Ukraine ? ? ? ? ?
United Kingdom United Kingdom Hanging 1964 1965 ? 1998
Vatican City Vatican City ? ? 1969 1870 ?

Retentionist states

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Belarus is the only country in Europe that still uses the death penalty. On November 30, 2011, the two suspects in the 2011 Minsk Metro bombing were convicted and sentenced to death.[9] The sentence was carried out in March 2012.[10]

Russia has signed but not ratified Protocol No. 6 to the European Convention on Human Rights (abolition in peacetime). The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation effectively abolished capital punishment on November 19, 2009.

In addition, the two partially unrecognized states of Transnistria and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have not abolished the death penalty and are blocked from the Council of Europe. However, neither has executed anyone to date.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Abolition of death penalty is now complete in Latvia
  2. ^ Latvian ratification
  3. ^ Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, concerning the abolition of the death penalty in all circumstances CETS No.: 187 Council of Europe
  4. ^ Phillips, Leigh (30 March 2010) Europe's first ever execution-free year undone by Belarus, EU Observer
  5. ^ Q&A: The Lisbon Treaty BBC News
  6. ^ America's Deadly Image Washington Post, February 20 2001
  7. ^ De doodstraf in Nederland; Laatste twee executies in 1952 Geschiedenis 24, March 11 2010
  8. ^ a b c [1]
  9. ^ http://www.rferl.org/content/background_belarus_and_the_death_penalty/24407395.html
  10. ^ "В Интернете появились сообщения о казни второго осужденного по делу о теракте в Минске" (in Russian). Голос России. 17 March 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
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nl:Doodstraf in Europa pl:Kara śmierci w Europie ro:Pedeapsa capitală în Europa

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