Capital punishment in Laos

Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Laos.

The long list of capital crimes enumerated in the statute books of Laos include murder; terrorism; drug trafficking; drug possession; robbery; kidnapping; obstructing an officer in the performance of his public duties and causing his death or causing him physically disability; disrupting industry, trade, agriculture or other economic activities with the intent of undermining the national economy; treason and espionage. Executions are carried out by a firing squad. In March 2009, the government of Laos reported to Amnesty International that at the end of 2008, there were 85 people on death row. The last known execution in Laos took place in 1989.