Botswana
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Capital crimes are: murder, treason, an attempt on...
- News items in the archive
- 133
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Botswana is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 133 news items on Botswana, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- DECEMBER 8, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The execution of convicted murderer Mariette Bosch,...
The execution of convicted murderer Mariette Bosch, a South African citizen, in Botswana in March 2001 did not contravene the policies of the African Commission on Human Rights, the office of the president of Botswana said
- NOVEMBER 26, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The Botswana Centre for Human Rights (Ditshwanelo)...
The Botswana Centre for Human Rights (Ditshwanelo) criticised Botswana authorities for continuing to hang death row convicts
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Joseph Mokhobo, Douglas Simon and Gouwane Lele Tsae...
Joseph Mokhobo, Douglas Simon and Gouwane Lele Tsae were hanged at the Gaborone central Prison, Botswana
- AUGUST 1, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
"The execution of a convicted murderer last month has...
"The execution of a convicted murderer last month has re-opened the controversy over the administration of the death penalty in Botswana," said an All Africa editorial
- JULY 18, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Lehlohonolo Kobedi, a South African man who had been...
Lehlohonolo Kobedi, a South African man who had been on death row in Botswana for five years, was executed at Gaborone Central Prison, SABC news reported
- APRIL 29, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Lawyers representing Botswana death row prisoner Lehlohonolo...
Lawyers representing Botswana death row prisoner Lehlohonolo Kobedi are in the process of preparing a petition for clemency to be submitted to the Office of the President sometime in May
- MARCH 21, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Justice Peter Tebbutt dismissed Lehlohonolo Kobedi's...
Justice Peter Tebbutt dismissed Lehlohonolo Kobedi's death sentence appeal
- JANUARY 24, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
A Botswana appeals court reserved judgement on death...
A Botswana appeals court reserved judgement on death row inmate, Lehlohonolo Kobedi's case
- JANUARY 1, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, treason, an attempt on...
Capital crimes are: murder, treason, an attempt on the life of the head of state, and the military offenses of mutiny and desertion
- JANUARY 1, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Official figures record 33 executions for capital crimes...
Official figures record 33 executions for capital crimes in Botswana between 1966 and 2000
- JANUARY 1, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been in force in Botswana since...
The death penalty has been in force in Botswana since the country became independent in 1966
- JANUARY 1, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Botswana applies the death penalty for murder, treason,...
Botswana applies the death penalty for murder, treason, an attempt on the life of the head of state and the military offences of mutiny and desertion in the face of the enemy
- JANUARY 1, 2003BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The execution of Marietta Bosch in 2001 sparked a big...
The execution of Marietta Bosch in 2001 sparked a big national and international debate on the death penalty in Botswana
- MAY 7, 2002BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Botswana was summoned to appear before the African...
Botswana was summoned to appear before the African Human and People's Rights Commission sitting in Pretoria, South Africa from May 2 to10
- JANUARY 10, 2002BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Two Botswana fugitives were extradited back to the...
Two Botswana fugitives were extradited back to the Botswana from South Africa, the Department of Home Affairs said
- JANUARY 1, 2002BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, treason, an attempt on...
Capital crimes are: murder, treason, an attempt on the life of the head of state, and the military offenses of mutiny and desertion
- DECEMBER 28, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The South African Department of Home Affairs wants...
The South African Department of Home Affairs wants an assurance from the Botswana government that two of that country's fugitives being held in South Africa will not be hanged if they are extradited
- OCTOBER 29, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Two Botswana nationals detained in connection with...
Two Botswana nationals detained in connection with murder and rape in their country and who handed themselves over to South African police after escaping from custody in Lobatse could be extradited, officials said
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The 13 Namibian secessionists sought by their government...
The 13 Namibian secessionists sought by their government for terrorist attacks are in prison in Botswana awaiting extradition to Namibia
- AUGUST 1, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Four Zimbabwean men are to be extradited to Botswana...
Four Zimbabwean men are to be extradited to Botswana to face a murder charge, Northern Province police said
- JULY 27, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The High Court in Botswana rejected an appeal by Lehlohonolo...
The High Court in Botswana rejected an appeal by Lehlohonolo Bernard Kobedi, a South African man who had been sentenced to death for murdering a police officer in a shootout
- MAY 17, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The High Court ordered Lehlohonolo Bernard Kobedi's...
The High Court ordered Lehlohonolo Bernard Kobedi's retrial, a South African man who was due to hang for murder
- APRIL 30, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The Head of Botswana Television news and current affairs...
The Head of Botswana Television news and current affairs Chris Bishop resigned over government attempts to control news broadcasts
- APRIL 30, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The Head of Botswana Television news and current affairs...
The Head of Botswana Television news and current affairs Chris Bishop resigned over government attempts to control news broadcasts
- APRIL 23, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The husband of Marietta Bosch, Martinus "Tennie" Woolmarans,...
The husband of Marietta Bosch, Martinus "Tennie" Woolmarans, claimed that he has been denied the opportunity to see his wife's grave
- APRIL 23, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The Director of Information and Broadcasting, Andrew...
The Director of Information and Broadcasting, Andrew Sesinyi, blamed his department for the failure to broadcast a documentary on Marietta Bosch, and exonerated the Office of the President, which ordered the last minute cancellation of the documentary
- APRIL 12, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Journalists with Botswana Television (BTV) protested...
Journalists with Botswana Television (BTV) protested the decision by authorities to stop the broadcast of a scheduled documentary on Mariette Bosch
- APRIL 6, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Lawyers for convicted killer Mariette Bosch, called...
Lawyers for convicted killer Mariette Bosch, called for an independent commission of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her hanging
- APRIL 4, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Botswana President Festus Mogae reacted to the controversy...
Botswana President Festus Mogae reacted to the controversy sparked off by the execution of Marietta Sonjaleen Bosch by asserting that he was a "retributionist by conviction" who shall always uphold the laws of his country
- APRIL 2, 2001BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The pressure group 'Hands Off Cain' criticised the...
The pressure group 'Hands Off Cain' criticised the execution stating that: "it is unacceptable that judges from abolitionist states intervene on behalf of countries that ask them to apply the death penalty