Capital punishment in the Cook Islands, a state in free association with New Zealand, was officially part of the legal system until 2007, although had never actually been put into practice.
Under Cook Islands law, capital punishment only ever applied to the crime of treason, for which it was the automatic sentence. This was defined as participation in a war against the Cook Islands or New Zealand, an attempt to overthrow the Cook Islands government, or an attempt to harm the Queen of New Zealand. The laws regarding capital punishment were based on New Zealand law at the time, although New Zealand later abolished capital punishment. The Cook Islands announced the removal of its provisions for capital punishment in 2007, without ever having put them into use.
The chosen method of execution in the Cook Islands was hanging.
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