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
- AUGUST 2, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
FORMER CHINA MOBILE EXECUTIVE DROPS DEATH VERDICT APPEAL
the former deputy general manager of China Mobile, Zhang Chunjiang, gave up his right to appeal his death sentence after being convicted of taking bribes. Chunjiang was sentenced to death on July 23, 2011, by the Intermediate People's Court of Cangzhou.
- AUGUST 1, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINESE POLICE EXECUTES TWO OVER VIOLENCE: GOVERNMENT
police in China’s restive Xinjiang region executed two people allegedly involved in deadly violence over the weekend, local authorities said.
JULY 26, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: MAN GETS DEATH FOR FAKE MONEY SCAM
a man was sentenced to death in south China's Guangdong Province for forging
- JULY 25, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TAINTING PORK
the Intermediate People's Court of Jiaozuo, in China's Henan province, sentenced Liu Xiang to death with a two-year reprieve for illegally dealing in clenbuterol, a poisonous chemical known as lean meat powder.
JULY 23, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTYCANADA DEPORTS TOP CHINESE FUGITIVE
China arrested its most wanted fugitive in the capital Beijing after Canada deported him to end a decades-long saga that had plagued Sino-Canadian relations, but concerns remained among activists about whether he would receive a fair trial.
- JULY 22, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
EX-CHINA MOBILE OFFICIAL GETS SUSPENDED DEATH SENTENCE
in northern China, the Intermediate People's Court of Cangzhou sentenced former China Mobile executive Zhang Chunjiang, 53, to death with a two-year reprieve. Zhang allegedly took bribes of 7.46 million yuan in his various positions between 1994 and 2009.
- JULY 19, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN TO BE EXECUTED FOR RAPE
Zeng Qiangbao, 40, had his death sentence upheld in China after being convicted of rape, robbery, illegal captivity and forcible seizure.
JULY 19, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: TWO OFFICIALS EXECUTED FOR GRAFT
China executed two former local government officials for taking tens of millions of dollars in
- JULY 18, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD FOR FORKLIFT DRIVER OVER MURDER IN CHINA'S INNER MONGOLIA
The Higher People's Court of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region upheld the death sentence of forklift driver Sun Shuning for killing Yan Wenlong on May 15, 2011, in Abag Banner in a dispute over pollution caused by a coal mine.
- JULY 14, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
COLOMBIAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN CHINA FOR DRUG CHARGES
Colombian national Harold Carillo Sanchez was sentenced to death in China earlier this year for trafficking 6.6 pounds of drugs into Beijing, Caracol Radio reported.
- JULY 12, 2011PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
2 PINOYS ESCAPE DEATH ROW IN CHINA
two unidentified Filipinos had their death sentences with two year reprieves commuted to life imprisonment in China by the Hangzhou Intermediate People’s Court, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) quoted the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai as
- JULY 7, 2011RussiaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA SENTENCES RUSSIAN TO DEATH FOR HEROIN SMUGGLING
a Chinese court sentenced a Russian national to death for attempting
- JULY 4, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: TELECOM EXECUTIVE SENTENCED FOR TAKING BRIBES FROM SIEMENS
a court in Hebi city, China, handed a suspended death sentence to telecom executive Shi Wanzhong
- JULY 1, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: CHINA SENTENCES FILIPINA TO DEATH FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
an unidentified Filipina teacher was sentenced to death
- JUNE 24, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: 7 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
the Intermediate People's Court in Changzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province
- JUNE 24, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: FORMER VICE MAYOR'S DEATH PENALTY APPEAL DENIED
former vice mayor of China's eastern resort city of Hangzhou
- JUNE 21, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA MOBILE EXECUTIVE GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR TAKING BRIBES FROM SIEMENS
Shi Wanzhong, the Human Resources Director of state-run telecom company China Mobile...
- JUNE 21, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: COUNTERFEITER SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Intermediate People's Court of the city of Hengyang in China's Hunan Province sentenced
JUNE 21, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINESE COALMINER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING MAN IN POLLUTION ROW
A court in China's northern region of Inner Mongolia sentenced to death a coal mine worker for killing
- JUNE 16, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: CITY PLANS DEATH PENALTY TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY
a new trial provision issued by the Higher People's Court of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality requires more severe punishment, including the death penalty, for food and drug safety scandals.
- JUNE 15, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Weng Tanggen was sentenced to death and Wang Jianping was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for drug trafficking by a court in Northeast China's Jilin province.
- JUNE 9, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR GOLD RAIDER
Zhang Degang, 33, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for the September 8, 2010, robbery of a hypermarket in Minhang District, worth 1.01 million yuan, the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court was told.
JUNE 8, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINESE SENTENCED TO DIE FOR MONGOL HERDER'S DEATH
A Chinese truck driver was sentenced to death for killing an ethnic Mongol herder by
JUNE 7, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: STUDENT EXECUTED OVER HIT-AND-RUN MURDER
China executed music student Yao Jiaxin, 21, for stabbing 26-year-old mother Zhang Miao to death after hurting her in a car crash on October 20, 2010.
- MAY 29, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Li Shengguang, 68, was executed for killing two children with rat poison in China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in 2009.
- MAY 28, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA ORDERS DEATH PENALTY FOR FOOD SAFETY CRIMES
China's Supreme People's Court ordered capital punishment for food safety
MAY 24, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: COURTS URGED TO BE PRUDENT IN USE OF DEATH PENALTY
Chinese courts were told to pronounce a two-year suspension of execution for condemned criminals if an immediate execution is not deemed necessary.
- MAY 20, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN MAN EXECUTED IN XIAMEN FOR TRAFFICKING 370KG OF KETAMINE
Taiwanese national Li Xiamhzheng was executed in Xiamen...
- MAY 20, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING THREE FAMILY MEMBERS
a woman surnamed Lin from Nantou County Puli township in China was sentenced to death
- MAY 20, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: COURT REJECTS DEATH APPEAL OF STUDENT
a Chinese court in Shaanxi rejected the death sentence appeal by music student Yao Jiaxin...