The customary prohibition of the mandatory death penalty in international law

Journal article

The mandatory death penalty denotes the automatic imposition of capital punishment for certain predetermined offences, without regard for the circumstances of a crime, the personal conditions of the defendants, or the factual context of individual cases. Although the practice is highly controversial for its infringements upon the right to life and the right to a fair trial, it remains uncertain whether public international law contains a universal prohibition against it. This article argues that such a prohibition does exist, taking the form of customary international law. To substantiate this claim, the article provides a detailed analysis of state practice and other relevant evidence.

Authors: Peng, L

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Journal: Human Rights Law Review
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 1
• Article number: ngaf047
• Publication date: 2026-01-13
• Acceptance date: 2025-12-02
• DOI: 10.1093/hrlr/ngaf047
• EISSN: 1744-1021
• ISSN: 1461-7781
• Language: English
• Keywords: right to a fair trial; mandatory death penalty; death penalty; customary international law; discretion in sentencing; right to life