Amnesty International has been monitoring developments around the use of the death penalty and campaigning for its abolition for more than three decades.

In 1977, only 16 countries had abolished the death penalty for all crimes. As of December 2010 that figure stands at 96 and more than two thirds of the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice.

Of the 58 retentionist countries, 21 were known to have carried out executions in 2011.

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The use of the death penalty in 2012
In 2012, 21 countries around the world were known to have carried out executions and at least 58 to have imposed death sentences.

The use of the death penalty in 2011
In 2011, 21 countries around the world were known to have carried out executions and at least 63 to have imposed death sentences.

The use of the death penalty in 2010
In 2010, 23 countries around the world were known to have carried out executions and at least 67 to have imposed death sentences.

Death penalty by country
More than two thirds of the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice.

Abolitionist for all crimes
Countries whose laws do not provide for the death penalty for any crime.

Abolitionist for ordinary crimes only
Countries whose laws provide for the death penalty only for exceptional crimes such as crimes under military law or crimes committed in exceptional circumstances.

Abolitionist in practice
Countries that can be considered to have an established practice of not using the death penalty but retain it in their laws.