Executions of child offenders since 1990
Stop child executions |
|
|
The use of the death penalty for crimes committed by people younger than 18 is prohibited under international human rights law, yet some countries still execute child offenders. Such executions are few compared to the total number of executions in the world. Their significance goes beyond their number and calls into question the commitment of the executing states to respect international law.
Since 1990 Amnesty International has documented 42 executions of child offenders in eight countries: China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the USA and Yemen. Several of these countries have changed their laws to exclude the practice. Executions of child offenders represent a tiny fraction of the total of executions worldwide recorded by Amnesty International each year. The USA has executed more child offenders than any other country.
The first table below gives statistics on executions of child offenders recorded by Amnesty International since 1990. The second table gives case details.
Recorded executions of child offenders since 1990: statistics
Year | Recorded executions of child offenders | Total recorded executions worldwide | Countries carrying out executions of child offenders (numbers of reported executions are shown in parentheses) |
1990 | 2 | 2029 | Iran (1), USA (1) |
1991 | 0 | 2086 | ![]() |
1992 | 6 | 1708 | Iran (3), Pakistan (1), Saudi Arabia (1), USA (1) |
1993 | 5 | 1831 | USA (4), Yemen (1) |
1994 | 0 | 2331 | -- |
1995 | 0 | 3276 | -- |
1996 | 0 | 4272 | -- |
1997 | 2 | 2607 | Nigeria (1), Pakistan (1) |
1998 | 3 | 2258 | USA (3) |
1999 | 2 | 1813 | Iran (1), USA (1) |
2000 | 6 | 1457 | Congo (Democratic Republic) (1), Iran (1), USA (4) |
2001 | 3 | 3048 | Iran (1), Pakistan (1), USA (1) |
2002 | 3 | 1526 | USA (3) |
2003 | 2 | 1146 | China (1), USA (1) |
2004 | 4 | 3797 | China (1), Iran (3) |
2005 | 6 | Not available | Iran (6) |
Recorded executions of child offenders since 1990: case details
Country | Name of prisoner | Age | Date of execution |
China | Zhao Lin Gao Pan | 16 at time of offence 16 or 17 at the time of offence | January 2003 8 March 2004 |
Dem.Rep. of Congo | Kasongo | 14 at time of execution | 15 January 2000 |
Iran | Kazem Shirafkan Three young males Ebrahim Qorbanzadeh Jasem Abrahimi Mehrdad Yousefi Mohammad Zadeh Salman Atefeh Rajabi Iman Farokhi Ali Safarpour Rajabi Mahmoud A. A. M. Farshid Farighi Name unknown | 17 at time of execution One aged 16, two aged 17 at time of execution 17 at time of execution 17 at time of execution 16 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 16 at time of execution 17 at time of execution 16 or 17 at the time of offence 15 or 16 at time of the offence 16 or 17 at time of the offence 14 to 16 at time of offences 17 at time of execution | 1990 29 September 1992 24 October 1999 14 January 2000 29 May 2001 25 January 2004 12 May 2004 15 August 2004 19 January 2005 13 July 2005 19 July 2005 19 July 2005 1 August 2005 23 August 2005 |
Nigeria | Chiebore Onuoha | 15 at time of offence, 17 at time of execution | 31 July 1997 |
Pakistan | One juvenile Shamun Masih Ali Sher | 17 when executed 14 at time of offence 13 at time of offence | 15 November 1992 30 September 1997 3 November 2001 |
Saudi Arabia | Sadeq Mal-Allah | 17 when sentenced to death | 3 September 1992 |
USA | Dalton Prejean Johnny Garrett Curtis Harris Frederick Lashley Christopher Burger Ruben Cantu Joseph John Cannon Robert Anthony Carter Dwayne Allen Wright Sean Sellers Steve Roach Chris Thomas Glen McGinnis Gary Graham Gerald Mitchell Napolean Beazley T.J. Jones Toronto Patterson Scott Allen Hain | 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 16 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence 17 at time of offence | 18 May 1990 11 February 1992 1 July 1993 28 July 1993 7 December 1993 24 August 1993 22 April 1998 18 May 1998 14 October 1998 4 February 1999 10 January 2000 13 January 2000 25 January 2000 22 June 2000 22 October 2001 28 May 2002 8 August 2002 28 August 2002 3 April 2003 |
Yemen | Naseer Munir Nasser al'Kirbi | 13 at time of execution | 21 July 1993 |
Last updated: 24 August 2005