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
- 2,785
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 2,785 news items on China, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- OCTOBER 14, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Chen Zhengping, 32, perpetrator of the 14 September...
Chen Zhengping, 32, perpetrator of the 14 September mass food poisoning case in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, was executed
- OCTOBER 11, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China sent Zhu Xiaohua, its most senior financial official...
China sent Zhu Xiaohua, its most senior financial official nabbed for corruption, to jail for 15 years yesterday, but spared him the execution after he confessed to taking bribes prosecutors knew nothing about
- OCTOBER 8, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
An appeals court in central China overturned the death...
An appeals court in central China overturned the death sentences of five leaders of a banned Christian sect and ordered a retrial - an exceptional move in a country that controls religion tightly, a human rights group said
- OCTOBER 1, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The United States is to move to bar entry to Chinese...
The United States is to move to bar entry to Chinese nationals linked to the controversial global trade in organ harvesting
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The Xinjiang Daily reported that Ma Yanshan was sentenced...
The Xinjiang Daily reported that Ma Yanshan was sentenced to death for murdering six members of his estranged wife's family
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The China Youth Daily reported that a leader of a village...
The China Youth Daily reported that a leader of a village in Hebei province was sentenced to death for trying to kill a man who defeated him in a village election
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
A court in eastern China sentenced to death the owner...
A court in eastern China sentenced to death the owner of a fast-food outlet for poisoning snacks at a competitor's shop, causing the death of dozens of people
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China's southern province of Guangdong held several...
China's southern province of Guangdong held several public sentencing rallies which resulted in numerous executions ahead of the October 1 national day, state media reported
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Xinhua news agency reported that a man named Liu, 45,...
Xinhua news agency reported that a man named Liu, 45, was executed for cutting power and phone lines
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The Liuzhou Prefecture Court, in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous...
The Liuzhou Prefecture Court, in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, executed Wei Kesong, 23, for drug trafficking
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
State media reported that Liu Jingsheng, 47, was executed...
State media reported that Liu Jingsheng, 47, was executed by lethal injection, hours after a court rejected his appeal against the sentence
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The European Union urged China to improve its human...
The European Union urged China to improve its human rights record but said it believed the situation was gradually improving
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
A female Russian citizen was sentenced to death in...
A female Russian citizen was sentenced to death in China's Yongan province for drug smuggling
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Yelena Timchenko, a female of Russian citizenship,...
Yelena Timchenko, a female of Russian citizenship, was sentenced to death in China's Yongan province for drug smuggling, a report from the Russian Foreign Ministry revealed
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
A Supreme Court ruling came into force which provides...
A Supreme Court ruling came into force which provides the death penalty for civil servants convicted of major tax fraud
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Li Feng was executed for murder
Li Feng was executed for murder
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Chen Jianhua was executed for murder
Chen Jianhua was executed for murder
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The Huanggang Intermediate People's Court, in Hubei...
The Huanggang Intermediate People's Court, in Hubei Province, sentenced Jiang Lin and Zhou Zhiyong to death for organizing other gang members to damage public and private property, and collect "protection" fees
- SEPTEMBER 19, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The European Union said it was concerned about human...
The European Union said it was concerned about human rights in China and will raise the issue when their leaders meet on September 22-24, diplomats said
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China executed a man for stealing 170 million yuan (HK$159
China executed a man for stealing 170 million yuan (HK$159
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Ten robbers and rapists were put to death in Beijing
Ten robbers and rapists were put to death in Beijing
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Ten people were put to death in Beijing for ordinary crimes
Ten people were put to death in Beijing for ordinary crimes
- SEPTEMBER 14, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
State press reported that two pimps were executed in...
State press reported that two pimps were executed in Guangdong after being convicted of kidnapping or buying women and forcing them into prostitution
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
Alleged kidnappers Wang Yingcai, Ma Zhiguo and Zhang...
Alleged kidnappers Wang Yingcai, Ma Zhiguo and Zhang Fei were executed in Yuelin, Shaanxi Province, China
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The Provincial Higher People's Court in Hebei sentenced...
The Provincial Higher People's Court in Hebei sentenced 10 human traffickers from Yunnan Province to death, the Xinhua Daily Telegraph reported
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The Higher People's Court of Hebei province rejected...
The Higher People's Court of Hebei province rejected appeals lodged by 10 child abductors and upheld their death sentences, according to Xinhua's Web site
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
September 6-10, 2002: eight people sentenced to death...
September 6-10, 2002: eight people sentenced to death were executed in Gansu (northwest) and Guizhou (southeast) provinces in China
- SEPTEMBER 9, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The Yangcheng Evening News reported that Shaoguan Intermediate...
The Yangcheng Evening News reported that Shaoguan Intermediate People's Court, in Guangdong Province, sentenced Xiao Zhuoming to death
- SEPTEMBER 9, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
The Yangcheng Evening News reported that Shaoguan Intermediate...
The Yangcheng Evening News reported that Shaoguan Intermediate People's Court, in Guangdong Province, tried two false value-added tax invoice issuance cases, sentencing Pan Guangshi, his son Pan Yingping and his daughter-in-law, Luo Mei, to death
- SEPTEMBER 9, 2002ChinaDEATH PENALTY
China's harsh crackdown on crime executed unknown thousands...
China's harsh crackdown on crime executed unknown thousands of prisoners in 2002 in judicial processes in which torture was common and lawyers rare