The last execution was carried out in Papua New Guinea (PNG) by hanging in 1954. Before and after Independence in 1975, the death penalty was reinstated once and abolished twice through the amendments of the Criminal Code Act 1974. However, despite efforts to reinstate the death penalty, PNG did not implement it since independence. This study aimed to identify the factors that influenced PNG not to implement the death penalty.

A mixed method approach was deployed. From a total of 67 respondents across four regions who participated in the study, six factors that made PNG disinclined to implement the death penalty were identified, namely Christian values, lack of administrative mechanisms and infrastructure, fear of payback, lack of political and bureaucratic support, lack of prior research and consultation, and the high cost of implementing the death penalty. The findings show that the death penalty is impossible (not difficult) to implement in PNG due to religious, cultural, political and economic reasons.

The monthly ANU-UPNG seminar series is part of the partnership between the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and the UPNG, supported by the PNG-Aus Partnership.

NOTE: the time will be 12.30pm - 1.30pm in Port Moresby.