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Explained in plain English

Which countries still use it?

While the UK abolished capital punishment decades ago, many countries still use it. The US, where William Thompson’s execution was cancelled, is one of them, though individual states decide. China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia are among the top five countries for executions globally, alongside Egypt and the US, according to Amnesty International figures from 2021.

Stories that explain this

DeSantis Cancels Florida Execution of William Thompson

Questions this opens up

How many US states use it? Which countries abolished it recently? What methods do they use?

Related explainers

Which countries have mandatory death penalties? How common are Florida executions? What crimes carry a mandatory death penalty? Why does dementia matter for execution? Can DeSantis just stop an execution? When was the last UK execution? How does lethal injection work? What is the 'mandatory' death penalty?

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