Ethiopia
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Abolitionist de facto
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity...
- News items in the archive
- 103
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Ethiopia is classified as Abolitionist de facto 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 103 news items on Ethiopia, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- JUNE 1, 2011EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA PARDONS 23 TOP DERG OFFICIALS
Ethiopian government commuted the death sentences of 23 former Derg regime high ranking officials for committing genocide to life time imprisonment.
- JANUARY 1, 2011EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2010EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIAN COURT SENTENCES ONE TO CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
the Ethopian Federal Supreme Court sentenced Melaku Tefera to death for plotting to dismantle the constitution and the constitutional order.
JUNE 16, 2010EthiopiaDEATH PENALTYETHIOPIA: OFFICIAL GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR SUPPORTING REBELS
the Ethiopian Federal High Court sentenced former regional official Jemua
- MAY 28, 2010EritreaDEATH PENALTY
ETHOPIAN COURT SENTENCES ERITREAN TO DEATH
Shimondi Abrha, an Eritrean national and member of the Eriterean intelligence...
- MAY 20, 2010EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR PRE-POLL GRENADE
the Oromia Supreme Court in Ethiopia court sentenced Tadesse Haile to death for throwing hand grenades into a packed stadium in Adaba Town of Western Arssi Zone on May 6 during a political rally that killed two people, state media said.
APRIL 6, 2010EthiopiaDEATH PENALTYETHIOPIA: COURT SENTENCES OROMO SEPARATIST TO DEATH
An Ethiopian court has handed down a death sentence to an alleged leader
- MARCH 25, 2010EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA PASSES DEATH SENTENCE ON CONVICTED SOMALI ISLAMIST
the Federal court of Ethiopia sentenced a former radical Somali Al -Itihad Al-Islamiya group member to death for committing "terrorist acts" during the mid 1990s.
- JANUARY 1, 2010EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
DECEMBER 22, 2009EthiopiaDEATH PENALTYETHIOPIA: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER ASSASSINATION PLOT
five prominent Ethiopian politicians were sentenced to death by the Federal High Court for plotting
- SEPTEMBER 3, 2009EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA: SIX SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MASSACRE
an Ethiopian court sentenced six members of the Benishangule-Gumuz community
- AUGUST 17, 2009EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIAN WOMAN GETS DEATH IN THE KILLING OF SPONSOR
Judge Abdurrahman Al-Darmi of the Kuwaiti Criminal Court sentenced an Ethiopian housemaid, identified only as Amakeel, to death for the premeditated murder of her sponsor, a Lebanese woman.
- JANUARY 1, 2009EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
- MAY 26, 2008EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. SUPREME COURT HANDS DEATH SENTENCE TO MENGISTU
Ethiopia's Supreme Court sentenced former dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam to death in his ab
- MAY 22, 2008EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. FOUR AIR FORCE PILOTS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ABSENTIA
a military tribunal recently sentenced four Ethiopian Air Force pilots to death.
- MAY 20, 2008EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. HIGH COURT CONDEMNS EIGHT TO DEATH OVER 2007 BOMB BLAST
the Somali Regional State High Court in Jijiga, Ethiopia, sentenced eight culprits to death for killing and
- MAY 8, 2008EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. COURT CONDEMNS THREE TO DEATH OVER BUS BOMBING
a court in northern Ethiopia's Tigray Regional State found six Ethiopians, one
- APRIL 10, 2008EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA: "THE DEATH SENTENCE WAS USED AS A TOOL OF INTIMIDATION"
a clampdown on the media in Ethiopia in the wake of disputed elections in 2005
- APRIL 6, 2008EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. FIVE MENGISTU OFFICERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
an Ethiopian Court sentenced five top military officers of former Marxist ruler
- JANUARY 8, 2008EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
five Ethiopians detained in Sudan could face detention without trial, torture
five Ethiopians detained in Sudan could face detention without trial, torture
- JANUARY 1, 2008EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
Aggravated murder and crimes against the State or humanity are capital crimes.
- DECEMBER 18, 2007EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
Ethiopia voted against the Resolution on a Moratorium...
Ethiopia voted against the Resolution on a Moratorium...
- AUGUST 6, 2007EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. ARMY MAJOR EXECUTED FOR MURDERING SPY BOSS
Tsehaye Woldeselassie, an army major, was executed in Ethiopia for murdering
- MAY 16, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
two Ethiopian citizens, Ali Mohammed Ali and Adel Adam Aman...
two Ethiopian citizens, Ali Mohammed Ali and Adel Adam Aman...
- MAY 9, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS ETHIOPIAN WOMAN FOR MURDER
an Ethiopian woman was beheaded by the sword in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the interior
- FEBRUARY 22, 2007EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIAN SC UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCES ON CONVICTED TERRORISTS
The Ethiopian Federal Supreme Court upheld death sentences passed by the Federal High Court on five
- JANUARY 26, 2007EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER DEADLY ETHIOPIA RELIGIOUS RIOTS
an Ethiopian court has sentenced three people to death and jailed five others for life over the killing of six people during religious riots last year, the state-run media said
- JANUARY 11, 2007EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIAN DICTATOR SPARED DEATH PENALTY
an Ethiopian court spared former dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam from the death penalty, sentencing him to life in prison for genocide during his brutal 17-year reign.
- JANUARY 8, 2007EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
the Federal High Court of Ethiopia sentenced Major Desta Awulachew to death.
the Federal High Court of Ethiopia sentenced Major Desta Awulachew to death.
- JANUARY 3, 2007EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
ETHIOPIA. FEDERAL SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS MAJOR MELAKU DEATH SENTENCE
Ethiopia’s Federal Supreme Court upheld the death sentence passed earlier on Major Melaku Tefera who was convicted by the Federal High Court for committing the crime of genocide during the former military regime.