The subject of this paper is the study of the problem of the death penalty in international law by observing the development of the penalty at the international level and the movement aimed at its abolition. An overview of fundamental human rights related to the use of the death penalty, the restrictions of its application, and the rights of those facing the said sentence is provided. With development of the international law, on global and regional level have been issued documents aiming to the limitation of the use of the death penalty and its abolition so a more detailed review of the documents aiming at the fulfillment of the stated purpose has been provided. The paper also provides a historical review of the death penalty in the Republic of Turkey, from the very beginning of its use to its abolition. The abolition of the death penalty in Turkey is a process that has been carried out under great international pressure, and the reasons for the abolition were membership in the Council of Europe, accession to the European convention on human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as Republic of Turkey's aspiration to become a part of the European Union in the future. Despite the abolition of the death penalty, the development of events in Turkey led Turkish people and politicians to consider the reintroduction of the death penalty. Constant terrorist attacks in which many innocent civilians lost their lives, as well as the growing number of rapes and murders of children and women are a great encouragement for this step. Reintroduction of the death penalty for Turkey, in its current position in Europe, is an extremely dangerous step.