14th World Day against Death Penalty: Death Penalty for Terrorism-related offenses

In spite of the abolitionist worldwide movement, many governments have in recent years resorted to the use of the death penalty following terrorist attacks on their countries on the grounds of the protection of their population.

In the last years, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria and Tunisia, have all adopted laws that expanded the scope of the death penalty for terrorism-related offenses. Jordan and Pakistan in 2014, and Chad in 2015 lifted their moratorium on the death penalty and resumed executions in the name of the fight against terrorism.

According to the information published by the World Coalition against Death Penalty, 65 countries retain the death penalty in law for terrorism-related offenses.

However, death penalty for terrorism is often used for political purposes. Anti-terrorism legislation is not always in line with international human rights law and standard and, as stated by Mr. Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General “experience has shown that putting terrorists to death serves as propaganda for their movements”. 

The UIA reaffirms its unreserved opposition to the use of capital punishment under all circumstances and reiterates the call of the World Coalition against Death Penalty: Execution is a terrorists’ tool. Stop the cycle of violence.

To find out more about this issue, please visit the Website of the World Coalition against Death Penalty.