In the US, the death penalty is no longer enforced at the federal level for the time being.
Justice Minister Merrick Garland issued a corresponding order on Thursday.
First, all procedures and policies should be reviewed to ensure that the criminal justice system is constitutional, fair and humane, the Justice Department said.
US President Joe Biden rejects the death penalty.
His predecessor Donald Trump, on the other hand, had executions reintroduced at the federal level after a break of nearly twenty years.
The Republican government had gone all the way to the Supreme Court for this.
As a result, from July 2020, several offenders convicted under federal law were executed by lethal injection.
Study of substance for lethal injection
In the United States, the death penalty is carried out in many states.
At the federal level, on the other hand, the death penalty was imposed between 2003 and July 2020, but no longer carried out.
Attorney General Garland has now ordered a review of the execution policy changes enforced by the Trump administration.
Among other things, it will be investigated whether the substance pentobarbital used in lethal injection causes pain and agony at high risk.
In addition, regulations should be examined that should speed up executions.
The newly introduced option of being able to fall back on the methods and personnel of the states during executions is also to be scrutinized.