Capital punishment in the United Kingdom was used since before the creation of the state in 1801 until the practice was abolished in the 20th century. The last executions in the
United Kingdom were by
hanging, and took place in 1964, prior to being abolished for murder (in 1965 in Great Britain and in 1973 in
Northern Ireland). Although unused, the death penalty remained a legally defined punishment for certain offences such as
treason until it was completely abolished in 1998. In 2004 the 13th Protocol to the
European Convention on Human Rights became binding on the United Kingdom, prohibiting the restoration of the death penalty for as long as the UK is a party to the Convention.