Barbados

RetentionistLegal status of the death penalty*
6Number of individuals currently under sentence of death
0Executions in 2022
0Executions in 2021
0Executions in 2020

1984Last known execution
HangingMethod(s) of execution
NoParty to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
NoParty to the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty
YesParty to the American Convention on Human Rights
NoParty to the Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty
NoUN Moratorium Resolution (2010): cosponsor
AgainstUN Moratorium Resolution (2010): vote
YesUN Moratorium Resolution (2010): has signed the Note Verbale of Dissociation
NoUN Moratorium Resolution (2012): cosponsor
AgainstUN Moratorium Resolution (2012): vote
YesUN Moratorium Resolution (2012): has signed the Note Verbale of Dissociation
UnclearDoes the country have a mandatory death penalty?
2023-05-23Last update


Source: Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide
*Source of classification: Amnesty International

Related document(s)

Document(s)

Sentenced to Death Without Execution

on 15 December 2020


2020

NGO report

Antigua and Barbuda

Barbados

Dominica

Grenada

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Trend Towards Abolition


More details Download [ pdf - 1597 Ko ]

This research is a contribution towards understanding why six small, independent island nations in the
Eastern Caribbean – Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St
Vincent and the Grenadines, all members of the OECS – and the neighbouring island of Barbados retain
the death penalty in their criminal statutes, and yet have not executed anyone sentenced to death for a
very long time. With the exception of St Kitts and Nevis, where an execution took place in 2008, no-one
has been judicially executed in any of the other countries for more than 20 years – and in Dominica,
Grenada, St Lucia and Barbados for more than 30 years. Furthermore, death sentences have been imposed
within the past 10 years only in St Lucia and Barbados, and in four of these seven nations no-one is under
sentence of death on ‘death row’ at the time of writing.
The questions posed by this publication are: why do these countries hang on to capital punishment
and what are the barriers and hindrances to the complete abolition of capital punishment by these
nations

  • Document type NGO report
  • Countries list Antigua and Barbuda / Barbados / Dominica / Grenada / Saint Kitts and Nevis / Saint Lucia / Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Themes list Trend Towards Abolition

Document(s)

Abolition of the Death Penalty in the Eastern Caribbean and Barbados

on 15 December 2020


Lobbying

Barbados

Trend Towards Abolition


More details Download [ pdf - 2611 Ko ]

Greater Caribbean for Life has launched its educational toolkit to assist activists and organisations as they work toward abolishing the death penalty in the Greater Caribbean. The production of this toolkit forms part of GCL’s activities under its EU partnered project to educate on death penalty abolition in the Eastern Caribbean and Barbados.

The launch of the toolkit is timely as a few of these target countries recently voted against adopting the UN Moratorium on the use of the death penalty and countries that had previously chosen to abstain have now firmly voted against the resolution.

GCL members condemn the rise of violent crime in our region and express solidarity and compassion with the victims of crime, however, we reject the notion that capital punishment will act as a deterrent or foster respect for life in our communities.

It is our hope that this toolkit will assist in promoting respect for the right to life for all human beings in the Caribbean region.

  • Document type Lobbying
  • Countries list Barbados
  • Themes list Trend Towards Abolition

Document(s)

Note verbale dated 16 April 2013 from the Permanent Mission of Egypt to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

By United Nations, on 8 September 2020


2020

United Nations report

Afghanistan

Antigua and Barbuda

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Botswana

Brunei Darussalam

Chad

China

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Egypt

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Eswatini

Ethiopia

Grenada

Guyana

India

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Iraq

Jamaica

Kuwait

Lao People's Democratic Republic

Libya

Malaysia

Mauritania

Moratorium

Myanmar

Nigeria

Oman

Pakistan

Papua New Guinea

Qatar

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

Solomon Islands

Somalia

Sudan

Syrian Arab Republic

Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

Uganda

United Arab Emirates

Yemen

Zimbabwe

aresfrruzh-hant
More details See the document

The permanent missions to the United Nations in New York listed below have the honour to refer to General Assembly resolution 67/176, entitled “Moratorium on the use of the death penalty”, which was adopted by the Third Committee on 19 November 2012, and subsequently by the General Assembly on 20 December 2012 by a recorded vote. The permanent missions wish to place on record that they are in persistent objection to any attempt to impose a moratorium on the use of the death penalty or its abolition in contravention of existing stipulations under international law, for the following reasons:

Document(s)

Petition – Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago

By World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, on 8 September 2020


Academic report

Barbados

fr
More details Download [ pdf - 128 Ko ]

For the 2013 World Day, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty is asking Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago to abolish the mandatory death penalty for all crimes.

Other documents
flag

News

Call for actions on World Day in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean States

Sentenced to death without execution: Why capital punishment has not yet been abolished in the Eastern Caribbean and Barbados

Small Grant for Activities in the Caribbean

Launching of death penalty abolition project in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean