This article examines the use of capital punishment for drug offenses and wether the practice meets the threshold of "most serious crimes" established in the ICCPR. The article also examines the definition of "most serious crimes" as interpreted by institutions in an effort to determine if an international consensus exists for including drug offenses within this classification. The article concludes that drug offenses do not meet the threshold and the practice is a violation of international human rights law.
Citation: A "Most Serious Crime"?-The Death Penalty for Drug Offenses and International Law, Rick Lines (2010) Amicus Journal, No. 21, pp. 21-28, 2010