Capital punishment in Pakistan

Capital punishment is legal in Pakistan. At least 241 people were sentenced to death in Pakistan in 2005, and at least 31 were executed - the fifth highest number in the world. Pakistan ranked fifth (total cases - not per capita) after the People's Republic of China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States.^[1]

More than 3,000 people were on the country's Death Row, many sentenced by lower courts. Amnesty International recorded 13 executions in 1999.^[2]

Controversially Pakistan was one of only eight countries in the world (China PRC, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, United States and Yemen), that since 1990 executed prisoners who were under 18 years old at the time of committing a crime. Pakistan along with the United States and Yemen have now raised the minimum age to 18 in law to be eligible for execution.^[3]

Hanging is the most common method of execution.

Death penalty for "cyber terrorism" [1]

Causing death through "cyber terrorism" will be punishable by death in Pakistan, according to a decree issued by President Asif Ali Zardari on November 2008.

References

1. ^ AIUK: Pakistan- Spate of imminent executions in wake of Mirza Hussain case
2. ^ Amnesty International: Death Penalty News September 2000
3. ^ Amnesty International: Facts and Figures on the Death Penalty

See also

• Mirza Tahir Hussain