China
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 · In January, the Nanyang Intermediate People's Court...
- News items in the archive
- 2,796
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
China 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 2,796 news items on China, from 1999 to today.
China is believed to carry out more executions than any other country, but the figure is a state secret: no official statistics exist, and the known cases are those reported by the press or heard in public trials. Capital punishment applies to a large number of offences, including economic and drug offences, and the system also provides for a death sentence with a two year suspension, which in practice is often converted into life imprisonment.
The news on this page is a small part of what happens, and it is the part that can be documented.
Latest news
- APRIL 5, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTY
the Shijiazhuang Intermediate People's Court in northern China sentenced to death two men, a Chinese
the Shijiazhuang Intermediate People's Court in northern China sentenced to death two men, a Chinese
MARCH 27, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTYCINA: FOREIGN MINISTRY DEFENDS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
China defended the death penalty as a traditional deterrent, after Amnesty International released its annual
MARCH 9, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA MULLS TRIMMING DEATH PENALTY CRIMES
speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the National People's Congress (NPC) session, Zang
- FEBRUARY 28, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTY
former Guangdong Party bigwig Zhou Zhenhong was sentenced to death with two years' reprieve for taking
former Guangdong Party bigwig Zhou Zhenhong was sentenced to death with two years' reprieve for taking
- FEBRUARY 17, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A policeman was sentenced to death for killing a pregnant woman and injuring her husband at a restaurant in
JANUARY 21, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: 36-YEAR-OLD MAN EXECUTED FOR KEEPING, MURDERING SEX SLAVES
A Chinese man, who kept six female sex slaves in a dungeon and killed two of them, was executed.
JANUARY 15, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: TWO MEN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
China executed two men in the Hainan Province for trafficking over 5 kilos of drugs. Li Yongxin and Wei
- JANUARY 14, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTY
obstetrician Zhang Shuxia, 55, was found guilty of stealing seven babies after telling their parents the
obstetrician Zhang Shuxia, 55, was found guilty of stealing seven babies after telling their parents the
- JANUARY 11, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: 64 CRIMINAL GANG MEMBERS SENTENCED BY CHINESE COURT
A court in south China has handed down a suspended death sentence and prison terms to 64 members
- JANUARY 7, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Zhu Chuanfeng, was given a suspended death sentence by the Jinan Intermediate People's Court in
Zhu Chuanfeng, was given a suspended death sentence by the Jinan Intermediate People's Court in
JANUARY 2, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: RAILWAY OFFICIAL GETS DEATH PENALTY
A former senior official of the Hohhot railway bureau in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has been
- JANUARY 1, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTY
In February 2011, China dropped the death penalty for 13 non-violent crimes
In February 2011, China dropped the death penalty for 13 non-violent crimes
DECEMBER 12, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYEU: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PASSES RESOLUTION ON ORGAN HARVESTING IN CHINA
The European Parliament passed a resolution asking for an immediate end to the practice of organ
- DECEMBER 11, 2013United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - US Congress's Asia and Pacific Subcommittee has also marked up a resolution on organ harvesting in China.
USA - US Congress's Asia and Pacific Subcommittee has also marked up a resolution on organ harvesting in China.
NOVEMBER 29, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: 4 DRUG DEALERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
A court in the eastern Chinese coastal city of Qingdao handed down death sentences
- NOVEMBER 21, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: SUPREME PEOPLE'S COURT BANS CONFESSION THROUGH TORTURE
Using torture to extract confessions must be eliminated, China's Supreme People's Court said, singling
- NOVEMBER 15, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA TO LOOSEN ONE-CHILD POLICY, END LABOR CAMPS, REDUCE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
China will ease its family planning policies and abolish a controversial labor camp system, according
- NOVEMBER 5, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a court in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
a court in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
NOVEMBER 2, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA TO BAN USE OF EXECUTED PRISONERS' ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANTS
the last country in the world systematically harvesting organs from executed prisoners - is to ban the practice next year according to a senior official.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
two men were executed for their role in an explosion and shooting that killed nine people in the Yunnan
two men were executed for their role in an explosion and shooting that killed nine people in the Yunnan
- OCTOBER 31, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a man in China’s Guangdong province was awarded death sentence
a man in China’s Guangdong province was awarded death sentence
- OCTOBER 30, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
the boss of gang that used violence to extort cash and property
the boss of gang that used violence to extort cash and property
- OCTOBER 16, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: 4 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG OFFENCES
A court in northeast China's Jilin Province sentenced four drug dealers to death.
- OCTOBER 14, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA’S TOP JUDGE CALLS FOR FEWER EXECUTIONS
China’s top judicial official, Zhou Qiang, called on courts to “dare to stick to the truth” at a seminar in Beijing.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD ON CONTROVERSIAL RAPE-MURDER CASE
The high court of north China's Hebei Province upheld the death sentence on murder
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China executed a street vendor convicted of murdering two security officials who he claimed
China executed a street vendor convicted of murdering two security officials who he claimed
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a gang leader was executed for violent crimes in the city of Qingdao, the Qingdao Municipal
a gang leader was executed for violent crimes in the city of Qingdao, the Qingdao Municipal
SEPTEMBER 12, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: 3 SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER XINJIANG ATTACK
A court in China's western region of Xinjiang sentenced three ethnic Uighurs to death
SEPTEMBER 7, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYTIBET: BONINO CALLS ON CHINA TO SUSPEND THE EXECUTION OF DROLMA KYAB
“I learn with sorrow the news of the death sentence of Tibetan Drolma Kyab by the Chinese People's Court of Ngaba. I have repeatedly expressed the belief that the path to full respect for human rights can have different times in different social context
- SEPTEMBER 6, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a court in South China's Guangdong Province handed down
a court in South China's Guangdong Province handed down