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Capital punishment in Yemen


Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Yemen.

Capital crimes includes violent acts like murder, rape, or terrorism, but the death penalty can also be used in cases of Islamic or "Hudud" offences under Sharia law such as adultery, sexual misconduct, prostitution, and apostasy.Kidnapping, robbery, drug trafficking, homosexuality, and treason carry a possible death sentence as well.

Yemen has one of the highest execution rates in the world. Capital punishment is typically carried out by shooting, although stoning remains a legally viable option for charges of adultery; however, there have been no documented cases of its application for centuries. The southern Arabian republic is also one of a select few countries that continues to perform public executions. In addition to being the only individual in the country with the authority to grant clemency, the President of Yemen must ratify all executions passed down by any court before they are carried out.

Like most countries, the Yemeni legal system exists within the framework of a three-tier structure. At the lowest level of jurisprudence are the courts of first instance, established to preside over all different varieties of cases. These range from criminal, civil, commercial, personal status, court-martial, and other miscellaneous offences classified as "special cases" under the penal code (e.g., kidnappings, grand larceny). After trials are held at the lower levels of the Yemeni justice system, there is the option for both the defendant and the relatives of the victim to submit an appeal to an intermediate-level appellate court, which has broad powers to elevate or commute sentences at its discretion. Finally, if legal disputes still remain, then the issue is brought to the Supreme Court of Yemen as a last resort. There are no jury trials in the country, and cases are only adjudicated by individual judges.


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