Capital punishment in the Cook Islands, a state in free association with New Zealand, has never been put into practice, but was a part of the legal system, and would theoretically be employed.

Under Cook Islands law, capital punishment applied only to the crime of treason, for which it is the automatic sentence. Treason is defined as participation in a war against the Cook Islands or New Zealand, an attempt to overthrow the Cook Islands government, or an attempt to harm the Queen of New Zealand. The laws regarding capital punishment were based on New Zealand law at the time, although New Zealand has since abolished capital punishment. It to now has abolished this pracise.

The chosen method of execution in the Cook Islands was hanging.

External links

• Crimes Act 1969 (which allows the death sentence to be imposed)
• Criminal Procedure Act 1980-1981 (which sets out the method of execution)
• Capital punishment removed

v • d • e Capital punishment in Oceania Australasia Australia · Christmas Island · Cocos (Keeling) Islands · New Zealand1 · Norfolk Island Melanesia East Timor2 · Fiji · New Caledonia · Papua New Guinea3 · Solomon Islands · Vanuatu Micronesia Federated States of Micronesia · Guam · Kiribati · Marshall Islands · Nauru · Northern Mariana Islands · Palau Polynesia American Samoa · Cook Islands · French Polynesia · Hawaii · Niue · Pitcairn Islands · Samoa · Tokelau · Tonga · Tuvalu · Wallis and Futuna 1 Often included in Polynesia.  2 Often included in Southeast Asia.  3 Often included in Australasia.