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 8, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. TWO MEN PUT TO DEATH FOR CASH VAN HEIST
Yang Chao, 22, and Sun Feng, 25, were executed after a show trial for killing a cash transport vehicle escort and injuring three others during a 2004 robbery in Panshi in China’s Jilin Province.
- APRIL 7, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCE WITH REPRIEVE IN GUN MAKING AND TRAFFICKING CASE
a court in Haikou, sentenced Li Pingsheng, 30, to death with two years reprieve for making and trafficking 33 guns. Li refitted and produced revolvers and other types of pistols for illegal profits.
- APRIL 6, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCE UPHOLDED FOR FORMER PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION GROUP DIRECTOR
the Liaoning Provincial Higher People's Court ‘recently’ upheld the death sentence passed to Xia Renfan, 56-year-old former president of Shenyang Passenger Transportation Group Co, for corruption, embezzlement of public funds and bribery.
- APRIL 5, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. COUNTRY EXECUTES NINE TIMES MORE PEOPLE THAN REST OF WORLD, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
China accounted for about 90 percent of the 3,797 legally sanctioned executions in 25 countries across the world in 2004, the human rights group Amnesty International said, warning that most of those executed did not have fair trials.
- APRIL 4, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. TIBET COURT GIVES DEATH SENTENCE WITH REPRIEVE FOR FUR AND SKIN SMUGGLING OF ENDANGERED SPECIES
the Lhasa City Intermediate People's Court sentenced three people to death with reprieve for smuggling the skins of 1,393 endangered species including the skins of Bangladesh tigers and 581 leopards.
MARCH 31, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA. TOP GUANGZHOU HOSPITAL DOES ROARING TRADE IN EXECUTED PRISONER ORGANS, EDITORIAL
it was reported that the No. 1 and No. 3 Hospitals affiliated to the prestigious Sun Yat-sen University in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou was carrying out a lucrative trade in liver transplants using organs harvested from executed convicts.
- MARCH 30, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT. CHINA AND UNITED STATES URGED TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament voted in favour of the 2004 Annual Report on Human Rights. Simon Coveney MEP EPP-ED presented the report to the Committee as Rapporteur.
MARCH 24, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTYthere are several aspects of particular concern in China...
there are several aspects of particular concern in China...
- MARCH 23, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. SERIAL KILLER CONFESSES TO UP TO 45 MURDERS, DESERVES TO DIE, LAWYER
Wang Qiang, an accused serial killer in north-eastern China's Liaoning province, confessed to killing up to 45 people and deserves to be sentenced to death for his lack of remorse, his lawyer said.
MARCH 23, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA. DEATH PENALTY DEBATE 10 YEARS TOO LATE FOR NIE SHUBIN, EDITORIAL
- MARCH 20, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. STATE EXECUTES WITH ‘DEATH VANS’
the death van is an inconspicuous blue-and-white police vehicle that parks near the courtroom when its services are required by the Chinese judicial system. Inside it is fitted with a couch that can be raised or lowered like an operating table, set in the
- MARCH 16, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. BEIJING'S FORMER COMMUNICATION OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO DEATH WITH 2-YEAR REPRIEVE
Bi Yuxi, the former deputy director of Beijing Communication Bureau, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for taking bribes and embezzling state-owned assets in Beijing.
MARCH 14, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA CANNOT ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY: WEN
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said that China "cannot" abolish the death penalty due to the country's "national conditions," but outlined hoped for regulations on how the state imposes capital punishment.
- MARCH 9, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. CHIEF JUSTICE PLEDGES TO IMPROVE DEATH PENALTY REVIEW PROCESS
China will further refine the death penalty review process this year, Chief Justice Xiao Yang told the on-going annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.
- MARCH 9, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA ARRESTS 800,000 FOR 'ENDANGERING STATE SECURITY'
China arrested more than 800,000 people last year for endangering state security or for being involved in activities regarded as separatist, terrorist or extremist, a top official.
MARCH 8, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA. TWO MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING THREE JAPANESE
Hai Ting and Cao Xiude, two Chinese men who were charged with murdering three Japanese tourists in Xi'an, capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, were sentenced to death by the Xi'an Intermediate People's Court.
- FEBRUARY 17, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
an appellate court in Shanghai, China, rejected an appeal made by Tadahiro Furusawa
an appellate court in Shanghai, China, rejected an appeal made by Tadahiro Furusawa
- FEBRUARY 9, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China executed at least 650
China, which puts more people to death than the rest of the world combined, executed at least 650 in the two months
- FEBRUARY 3, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Xiong Xudong, a 22-year-old migrant worker, was sentenced to death
Xiong Xudong, a 22-year-old migrant worker, was sentenced to death
- FEBRUARY 2, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a recent survey indicated that more than 80 percent Chinese supported capital punishment.
a recent survey indicated that more than 80 percent Chinese supported capital punishment.
- FEBRUARY 2, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
the European Union welcomed a Chinese court's decision to commute a death sentence
the European Union welcomed a Chinese court's decision to commute a death sentence
- FEBRUARY 2, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. GUANGDONG QINGYUAN CITY INTERMEDIATE PEOPLE'S COURT ORDERS EXECUTION OF MAN INVOLVED IN CRIMINAL ORGANISATION
the Guangdong Qingyuan City Intermediate People's Court, China, sentenced Xie Haiqing to death. Xie was immediately escorted to the execution ground.
- FEBRUARY 1, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. FOERMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BRIBERY
it was reported that Li Youcan, former deputy-director of the Hebei provincial foreign trade and economic cooperation department had been sentenced to death in China for having accepted bribes totaling 47.44m yuan.
- JANUARY 28, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China may decide to narrow down the types of crimes for which the death penalty can be used
China may decide to narrow down the types of crimes for which the death penalty can be used, state media said
- JANUARY 28, 2005North KoreaDEATH PENALTY
a United Nations investigator of human rights conditions in North Korea...
a United Nations investigator of human rights conditions in North Korea...
- JANUARY 27, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. FORMER CHINA CONSTRUCTION BANK OFFICIAL SENTENCED TO DEATH IN FUJIAN
in its final trial, the Fujian Higher Provincial People's Court sentenced Yang Song, former vice-president of China Construction Bank's Nanping City branch, to death with a two year reprieve on charges of corruption, embezzlement of public funds and bribe
- JANUARY 26, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China commuted the death sentence imposed on a Tibetan monk, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche
China commuted the death sentence imposed on a Tibetan monk, Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, to a life term, state media reported.
- JANUARY 26, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a China Southern Airlines worker was jailed for life and two associates sentenced to death
a China Southern Airlines worker was jailed for life and two associates sentenced to death
- JANUARY 26, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. SHANDONG COURT SENTENCES FORMER QINGDAO PLANNING CHIEF TO DEATH
in its initial trial, Jinan City Intermediate People's Court sentenced Zhang Zhiguang, former director of Qingdao City Planning Bureau, to death with a two year reprieve for accepting 8.6m yuan in bribes.
- JANUARY 25, 2005ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China put to death 10 violent criminals and drug traffickers
China put to death 10 violent criminals and drug traffickers, state media reported.