The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area Methods of Execution The primary method of execution in the United States is lethal injection. Out of the 38 executions that took place during the reporting period, 37 were carried out by lethal injection and one by electric chair, upon the inmate’s own request.98 In 2011, the only domestic manufacturer of the anesthetic used in lethal injection executions ceased its production. As a result, American authorities have sought foreign suppliers of the anesthetic. The European Union has taken actions to prevent the export of goods that could be used for the application of capital punishment.99 Some American and European pharmaceutical companies also took actions to prevent their drugs from being used in lethal injections in United States prisons.100 In the spring of 2013, Georgia, Arkansas, South Dakota and Tennessee passed laws enabling them to hide the identities of suppliers of drugs for lethal injection.101 Twelve states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Arizona, Missouri, Delaware, New Hampshire and Washington, have authorized alternative methods of execution.102 In Oklahoma and Wyoming, such methods are used only if the primary method is found unconstitutional.103 Firing squad as an authorized method of execution was abolished in Utah, but it may be applied for those death row inmates who requested this method of execution prior to its abolition in 2004.104 98  “Execution List 2013”, Death Penalty Information Center, 2013, <http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/execution-list-2013>; “Execution List 2012”, Death Penalty Information Center, 2012, <http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/ execution-list-2012>; “Virginia Inmate Robert Gleason dies by electric chair”, BBC News, 17 January 2013, <http:// www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21047468>. 99  “Commission implementing regulation (EU) No 1352/2011”, Official Journal of the European Union, 21 December 2011, <http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:338:0031:0034:EN:PDF>. 100  “Death Penalty: Stop Lethal Injection project timeline”, Reprieve.org, 18 June 2013, <http://www.reprieve.org. uk/publiceducation/executiondrugstimeline/>. 101  “4 states pass laws hiding names of suppliers of death penalty drugs (Georgia, Arkansas, South Dakota and Tennessee)”, Against Death Penalty in the World, 24 May 2013, <http://www.handsoffcain.info/news/index.php?iddocumento=17305516>. 102  Alternative methods of execution include electrocution, lethal gas, hanging and firing squad. 103  “Authorized Methods”, Death penalty Information Center, 2013, <http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/methods-execution>. 104  “Inmates Currently on Death Row”, Utah Department of Corrections, 2013, <http://news.corrections.utah.gov/ press-media-information/inmates-currently-on-death-row/>. 25