Afghanistan
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 7
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Afghan law does not prohibit the execution of an individual...
- News items in the archive
- 562
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Afghanistan is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 7 the year before. The archive holds 562 news items on Afghanistan, from 1999 to today.
In Afghanistan, after the return of the Taliban to power, executions resumed, including in public, in application of qisas, the retribution requested by the victim's family, and alongside corporal punishments carried out in stadiums.
The information comes from the authorities' own announcements and from international organisations. The archive gathers those cases.
Latest news
- MARCH 12, 2009AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: THREE AWARDED DEATH PENALTY IN MURDER CASES
a primary court in western Herat province, Afghanistan, sentenced three to death
- FEBRUARY 28, 2009AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN VILLAGER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 'WRONG INFORMATION'
a villager was sentenced to death by an Afghan court for giving "wrong information" that resulted in nearly 100 civilians being killed in Nato airstrikes.
- FEBRUARY 27, 2009AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
THREE AFGHAN POLICEMEN GET DEATH PENALTY
an open trial of five policemen was held in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
- JANUARY 12, 2009AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
the Taliban said a man executed was sentenced a man to death for murder based on the verdict of their court in Ghazni city, in southern Ghazni province of Afghanistan
the Taliban said a man executed was sentenced a man to death for murder based on the verdict of their court in Ghazni city, in southern Ghazni province of Afghanistan
- JANUARY 1, 2009AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
The 2004 Afghan Constitution, in article 23 asserts the right to life...
The 2004 Afghan Constitution, in article 23 asserts the right to life...
- DECEMBER 23, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
a primary court in Peshawar city in the North West Frontier Province of neighbouring Pakistan sentenced two Afghan nationals to death for killing their cousin
a primary court in Peshawar city in the North West Frontier Province of neighbouring Pakistan sentenced two Afghan nationals to death for killing their cousin
- DECEMBER 21, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
Taliban militants executed two Afghan nationals in Pakistan's tribal areas, accusing them of spying for US-led forces in Afghanistan
Taliban militants executed two Afghan nationals in Pakistan's tribal areas, accusing them of spying for US-led forces in Afghanistan
NOVEMBER 29, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYSEVEN HANGED IN AFGHAN CAPITAL
seven men were hanged in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to the National Afghanistan TV.
- NOVEMBER 13, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BACKS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, CALLS FOR TRANSPARENCY
spokesman for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission [AIHRC] Nader Naderi said he is in favour of capital punishment but also that the Afghan judicial system is corrupt and unfair.
- NOVEMBER 13, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: TALEBAN PRESSING FOR END TO DEATH SENTENCE
Afghanistan's Taleban, notorious for summary public executions, urged the United Nations to press the Afghan government to stop executing prisoners on death row, citing concern about fair trials.
NOVEMBER 13, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYABOUT 120 AWAITING EXECUTION IN AFGHANISTAN
About 120 Afghans are on death row and their fate rests with President Hamid Karzai, who has to approve any execution order.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
UN CALL TO END EXECUTIONS WILL NOT AFFECT AFGHAN LEADER'S DECISION: OFFICIAL
responding to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights demand to an end to hangings in
- NOVEMBER 12, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANS PUSHING FOR A RETURN TO PUBLIC EXECUTION
the religious council for provinces in western Afghanistan issued a statement calling for, among other things, public executions ‘as a lesson’ to criminals.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
ARTICLE IN SECULAR AFGHAN PAPER SAYS DEATH PENALTY A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS
the Afghan independent secular daily newspaper Hasht-e Sobh said that "executions not only violate the right of a person to live, there are many other challenges to this as well.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
UN DISMAY OVER AFGHAN EXECUTIONS
the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed dismay at the execution of at least five convicted prisoners in Afghanistan this week.
- NOVEMBER 11, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN GOVERNMENT EXECUTES THREE MEN FOR TERRORISM
the Afghan government hanged three men for terrorism.
- NOVEMBER 11, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged for murder in Kabul, Afghanistan.
a man was hanged for murder in Kabul, Afghanistan.
- NOVEMBER 11, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
TWO MEN HANGED IN AFGHANISTAN FOR MURDER
Afghani television reported that two men were hanged in Herat and Takhar provinces. A court previously
- NOVEMBER 11, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN MPS SAY DEATH PENALTY REDUCES CRIME
Afghani television reported various MPs claims that capital punishment reduced crime.
NOVEMBER 8, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHAN GOVERNMENT EXECUTES THREE FOR MURDER
the Afghan government executed three men for crimes including murder, the state broadcaster announced.
OCTOBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE HANGED FOR MURDER
the judicial branch of Isfahan province in Iran announced it had carried out that morning the death sentence of Gholamreza H., an Afghan national convicted of murder.
OCTOBER 21, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHAN REPORTER'S DEATH SENTENCE REPLACED WITH 20 YEARS
An Afghan appeal court overturned the death sentence of a young reporter accused of insulting Islam
- OCTOBER 9, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
LAWYER DEMANDS RELEASE FOR AFGHAN REPORTER ON DEATH ROW
the lawyer of an Afghan reporter sentenced to death on blasphemy charges accused authorities of holding his client beyond a legal deadline, as the young man neared a full year in detention.
- OCTOBER 9, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: URGENT NEED FOR ABOLITION ALSO CONCERNS JOURNALISTS
on the eve of the 6th World Day Against the Death Penalty, Reporters Without Borders...
- AUGUST 9, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHAN DAILY URGES GOVERNMENT TO PUNISH CRIMINALS ACCORDING TO SHARI'AH
in an editorial, the independent Afghan newspaper Cheragh urged the government to punish criminals according to Shari’ah law.
- AUGUST 4, 2008ThailandDEATH PENALTY
29 NIGERIANS ESCAPE DEATH SENTENCE IN THAILAND, AFGHANISTAN
twenty-nine Nigerians, condemned to death in Thailand and Afghanistan for drug-related offences, had their sentences commuted to prison terms.
- JULY 24, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN: WATCHDOG CALLS FOR SPEEDY TRIAL OF DEATH SENTENCE JOURNALIST
Reporters Without Borders called for the release of Afghan journalist Sayed Perwiz Kambakhsh, aged 23, who was sentenced to death for "blasphemy" six months ago.
- JULY 10, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged four people convicted of murder...
Iran hanged four people convicted of murder...
- JULY 8, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
hundreds of Afghan journalists and writers...
hundreds of Afghan journalists and writers...
JUNE 1, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN. COURT SENDS DEATH SENTENCE JOURNALIST TO HOSPITAL
Afghanistan's appeal court referred a reporter sentenced to death on blasphemy charges