Capital punishment in the Middle East explained

Capital punishment is legal in most countries of the Middle East. Much of the motivation for the retention of the death penalty has been religious in nature, as the Qur'an allows or mandates executions for various offences.

Moratoria and abolition

Israel

Almost all death penalties were abolished by legislation in 1954 except for serious crimes committed during wartime. The last execution to ever take place in Israel was that of Adolf Eichmann, who was convicted for his role in the Holocaust, in 1962.

A moratorium has since been placed on all further execution of any individual.

Legal formalities aside, popular sentiment in favor of the death penalty occasionally rises in Israel in response to particularly heinous crimes. After the Sbarro suicide bombing, right-wing newspapers called for the perpetrators to be executed but Ahlmam Tamimi was only sentenced to prison.[1]

In January 2018, the Knesset made a preliminary vote on a bill introducing death penalty for terrorism.[2] [3]

Turkey

See also: Capital punishment in Turkey. In Turkey, capital punishment was fully abolished in 2004 for all crimes.[4]

In 2018, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his right-wing government coalition partners agreed to a proposal that could see the death penalty restored in Turkey against anyone sentenced for terrorism.[5]

Abolition advocacy

Attempts

In Lebanon in 2008, then-Justice Minister Ibrahim Najjar introduced a draft law to Parliament which would abolish the death penalty.[6] While the law failed to pass, he continued to advocate for the abolition for the rest of his time in office.[7]

Farouk Ksentini, chairman of Algeria's National Advisory Commission for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (CNCPPDH), stated in 2010 that he would advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. This aroused opposition from Islamist groups.[8]

Places with the death penalty

The following, groups, nations, or governments currently enforce the death penalty:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: en. Jonathan S. Tobin. Israel and the Death Penalty. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20181118213105/https://www.algemeiner.com/2018/11/18/israel-and-the-death-penalty/ . 18 November 2018 .
  2. News: Netanyahu demands death penalty for Halamish terrorist. 27 July 2017. The Times of Israel. 27 July 2017.
  3. Web site: Israeli death penalty advocates win preliminary vote in parliament. 3 January 2018. Reuters.
  4. Web site: FIDH. Death Penalty Cannot be Reinstated in Turkey.
  5. Web site: Ahval News. Turkish leaders agree to bring back death penalty.
  6. Web site: Najjar presents draft law to abolish death penalty. The Daily Star. 11 October 2008.
  7. Web site: Justice Ministry campaigns to abolish death penalty. Josie Ensor. The Daily Star. 29 August 2009.
  8. Web site: Algeria resurrects death penalty debate. Ademe Amine. Maghrebia. 1 March 2010.
  9. News: 11 August 2015. Libya death sentences cast long shadow over rule of law. BBC News.
  10. Web site: [Egypt sentences 75 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to death Libya death sentences cast long shadow over rule of law].
  11. News: 17 April 2018. A 10-Minute Trial, a Death Sentence : Iraqi Justice for ISIS Suspects. The New York Times. Coker. Margaret. Hassan. Falih.
  12. News: 21 April 2020. Saudi Arabia executed record number of people in 2019 (BBC). BBC News.
  13. Web site:
  14. Web site: 2 March 2016. Hamas Executes Prominent Commander After Accusations of Gay Sex. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303081017/http://www.newsweek.com/prominent-hamas-commander-was-executed-after-accusations-gay-sex-432343 . 3 March 2016 . Newsweek.
  15. Web site: 15 December 2008. Palestinian Authority Death Sentences Surge in West Bank, Gaza. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20121023183115/http://www.hrw.org/news/2008/12/15/palestinian-authority-death-sentences-surge-west-bank-gaza . 23 October 2012 .
  16. News: 29 February 2004. Lebanon Resumes Capital Punishment. The New York Times. Fisher. Ian.
  17. Web site: 5 March 2017. Jordan: 15 executions 'shocking' says human rights group. TheGuardian.com.
  18. Web site: 10 July 2020. Iran: Man executed for drinking alcohol.
  19. Web site: Qatar hands death penalty to Nepali. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200717124513/https://kathmandupost.com/national/2018/06/05/qatar-hands-death-penalty-to-nepali . 17 July 2020 .
  20. Web site: 26 June 2012. British man sentenced to death in UAE for selling marijuana. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20120626184322/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/unitedarabemirates/9356815/British-man-sentenced-to-death-in-UAE-for-selling-marijuana.html . 26 June 2012 .
  21. Web site: 23 March 2020. Yemen: Huthi-run court upholds death sentence against Baha'i prisoner of conscience.
  22. Web site: 22 April 2015. Death penalty introduced for drug offenders in Oman. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200717121428/https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/oman/death-penalty-introduced-for-drug-offenders-in-oman-1.1497237 . 17 July 2020 .

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