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
MARCH 27, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: COURT SENTENCES 3 DRUG DEALERS TO DEATH, JAILS 18
A court in southeast China's Fujian Province said that it has sentenced three
MARCH 14, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: ALLY OF DISGRACED BO SENTENCED ON GRAFT CHARGES
An ally of disgraced Chinese politician Bo Xilai has received a suspended death sentence
- MARCH 1, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
the man behind a botched robbery's fatal bombing in the central Chinese city of Wuhan
the man behind a botched robbery's fatal bombing in the central Chinese city of Wuhan
MARCH 1, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: MEKONG RIVER MURDERERS EXECUTED BY LETHAL INJECTION
Myanmar drug lord Naw Kham, who was convicted of murdering 13 Chinese sailors on the
- FEBRUARY 28, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Zhao Fuli, 45, who killed a couple in Shunyi district in 2010...
Zhao Fuli, 45, who killed a couple in Shunyi district in 2010...
FEBRUARY 28, 2013VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: CHINESE MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING 11KG OF NARCOTICS
In Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh City Supreme People's Court of Appeal rejected an
- JANUARY 31, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a Chinese court convicted two Tibetan men of murder
a Chinese court convicted two Tibetan men of murder
JANUARY 10, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: SERIAL KILLER EXECUTED IN YUNNAN PROVINCE
A Chinese man sentenced to death in July for killing 11 people has been executed, state-run
- JANUARY 8, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a court in South China approved a suspended death sentence
a court in South China approved a suspended death sentence
- JANUARY 6, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTY
the president of a painting academy was sentenced to death
the president of a painting academy was sentenced to death
- JANUARY 1, 2013ChinaDEATH 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 26, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: COURT UPHOLD DEATH SENTENCES FOR MYANMAR DRUG LORD
A Chinese court rejected appeals from six people, including the Myanmar drug lord
DECEMBER 18, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: REDUCTION OF DEATH PENALTY THROUGH JUDICIAL RESTRAINT
a conference held on 15-16 December in Beijing discussed a range of measures aimed at significantly reducing the use of capital punishment in China.
- DECEMBER 12, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a man in China has been sentenced to death for killing...
a man in China has been sentenced to death for killing...
DECEMBER 11, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR THREE XINJIANG PLANE HIJACKERS
A court in China’s restive Muslim-majority region of Xinjiang sentenced three men to death after
DECEMBER 6, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: BEIJING LAWYER REVEALS ORGAN HARVESTING OF EXECUTED PRISONER
a Beijing lawyer revealed something stunning on the Chinese Internet. Han Bing, who goes
- NOVEMBER 30, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a Chinese court sentenced a man to death for holding six women as sex slaves
a Chinese court sentenced a man to death for holding six women as sex slaves
- NOVEMBER 30, 2012SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE: YISHUN TRIPLE MURDER CONVICT TO HANG
The Chinese national who killed three women in a flat in Yishun three years ago was
NOVEMBER 29, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: DEATH PENALTY FOR MAN WHO KILLED PARENTS FOR INSURANCE
A man in Zhangye city, Gansu province, was sentenced to death by a local court after
NOVEMBER 26, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING OF BABIES
Two ringleaders of an infant trafficking gang, based in mountainous Ya'an City of southwest China's
NOVEMBER 24, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: REVISED PROCURATORATE RULES TO IMPROVE DEATH SENTENCE REVIEW
China's newly-revised criminal rules for procuratorates updates the review of death sentences
- NOVEMBER 6, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
four members of a gang accused of masterminding the murder...
four members of a gang accused of masterminding the murder...
NOVEMBER 2, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA TO PHASE OUT PRISONER ORGANS 'NEXT YEAR': RESEARCHER
China will start phasing out the use of executed prisoners as a source of organs for transplants next
OCTOBER 16, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: FORMER COMPANY PRESIDENT SENTENCED TO DEATH
A court in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region sentenced to death a former president
- OCTOBER 11, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a university teacher who stabbed his eight-month-pregnant
a university teacher who stabbed his eight-month-pregnant
- OCTOBER 9, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
the Chinese government issued a white paper on judicial reform
the Chinese government issued a white paper on judicial reform
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE IN PROFESSOR'S HOMICIDE
In China, the Higher People's Court of Guangdong Province upheld the death sentence of the
- AUGUST 20, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
the Shandong Provincial Higher People's Court upheld a death sentence
the Shandong Provincial Higher People's Court upheld a death sentence
- AUGUST 20, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a 46-year-old Chinese man was sentenced to death
a 46-year-old Chinese man was sentenced to death
- AUGUST 20, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Bogu Kailai, wife of former Chinese politician Bo Xilai...
Bogu Kailai, wife of former Chinese politician Bo Xilai...