Indonesia Ranks Among the Highest in ASEAN for Death Sentences

The death penalty is still implemented in several countries within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Indonesia is among the top countries with the highest number of death sentences in the region.

Data compiled by Amnesty International shows that Vietnam ranks first with 119 death sentences in 2021. Amnesty marked this number with a (+), indicating that the actual number of cases could be higher.

Indonesia follows in second place with 114 death sentences in 2021. This number is also estimated to be higher than recorded.

Third is Myanmar with 86 sentences, also believed to be an underestimation.

Laos and Brunei Darussalam, while still having the death penalty in their laws, did not issue any death sentences. Thailand recorded zero sentences, but Amnesty predicts that the actual number is higher.

Cambodia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste are the ASEAN countries that have abolished the death penalty for all crimes.

The death sentence figures are taken from regional data across Asia-Pacific. Amnesty International recorded 819 death sentences in the Asia-Pacific region in 2021. This represents a 58% increase compared to 2020, which saw 517 sentences.

"This is largely due to increases in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Vietnam," wrote Amnesty International in its report.

In Indonesia, out of 114 sentences, 94 (82%) were for drug-related offenses. The remaining 20 were for murder (14) and terrorism (6).

The following is a list of ASEAN countries and the number of death sentences imposed in 2021:

* Vietnam: 119+ sentences
* Indonesia: 114+ sentences
* Myanmar: 86+ sentences
* Malaysia: 14+ sentences
* Singapore: 10 sentences
* Thailand: 0+ sentences
* Laos: 0 sentences
* Brunei Darussalam: 0 sentences