Ghana
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 · Armed robbery, treason and first-degree murder are...
- News items in the archive
- 137
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Ghana 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 137 news items on Ghana, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- FEBRUARY 29, 2008LibyaDEATH PENALTY
GOVERNMENT SECURES PARDON FOR KANKAM
a Ghanaian citizen, Kwabena Kankam, sentenced to death in Lybia, was pardoned
- FEBRUARY 16, 2008LibyaDEATH PENALTY
LIBYA. TWO GHANAIANS EXCUTED FOR MURDER
two Ghanaian nationals and a Gambian were executed by firing squad at the Kofiya Rehabilitation Facility in Benghazi, after pleas for clemency and Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor’s last-minute intervention for a stay of execution were turned down.,
- JANUARY 22, 2008LibyaDEATH PENALTY
LIBYA. TWO GHANAIANS EXECUTED FOR MURDER
two Ghanaians, Charles Ansah and Asare Bediako, were executed for allegedly killing a Libyan citizen.
- JANUARY 1, 2008GhanaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books...
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books since the inception of English common law in the country in 1874.
- DECEMBER 18, 2007GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Ghana abstained on the Resolution...
Ghana abstained on the Resolution...
- NOVEMBER 15, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS GHANIAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a Ghanian man convicted of smuggling cocaine in his intestinal tract...
- JULY 1, 2007GhanaDEATH PENALTY
the President of Ghana, J.A. Kufuor...
the President of Ghana, J.A. Kufuor....
- MARCH 6, 2007GhanaDEATH PENALTY
GHANA FREES OR COMMUTES SENTENCES OF 1,206 PRISONERS
Ghana’s President, John Kufuor, freed or commuted the sentences of 1,206 prisoners to mark the 50th
- JANUARY 1, 2007GhanaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books...
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books since the inception of English common law in the country in 1874.
- JUNE 5, 2006GhanaDEATH PENALTY
GHANA. DEPUTY AG DESIGNATE AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
the nominee for the position of deputy Attorney-General and minister for justice, Kwame Osei Prempeh, said he did not subscribe to the death penalty as punishment for those convicted under Ghana’s laws.
- MARCH 1, 2006GhanaDEATH PENALTY
GHANA. SUPREME COURT NOMINEE AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Justice Samuel Kwadwo Asiamah, a nominee to the Supreme Court of Ghana, said he was against capital punishment and personally felt that the death penalty should be abolished.
- JANUARY 1, 2006GhanaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books...
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books since the inception of English common law in the country in 1874.
- NOVEMBER 2, 2005GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Ghana still retains the death penalty for armed robbery, treason and first-degree murder.
Ghana still retains the death penalty for armed robbery, treason and first-degree murder.
- OCTOBER 25, 2005GhanaDEATH PENALTY
GHANA. A-G WANTS DEATH PENALTY ABOLISHED
the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice joined other key players in the administration of Ghana’s justice system in a call for the abolition of the death penalty.
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2004GhanaDEATH PENALTY
A Ghana Supreme Court nominee, Justice Felix Michael...
A Ghana Supreme Court nominee, Justice Felix Michael Lartey argued that death sentence should be expunged from the country's statute books because it is was not serving any purpose
- JUNE 2, 2004GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Ghanaian national Martin Anderson, alias Belo, was...
Ghanaian national Martin Anderson, alias Belo, was sentenced to death by the South Jakarta district court, Indonesia, for trying to sell 50 grams (1
- APRIL 11, 2004GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Ghana still retains the death penalty for armed robbery, treason and first-degree murder.
Ghana still retains the death penalty for armed robbery, treason and first-degree murder.
- SEPTEMBER 5, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
The Court of Appeal in Malaysia upheld the conviction...
The Court of Appeal in Malaysia upheld the conviction and death sentence imposed on Emmanuel Yaw Teiku, a 43 year old Ghanian national, by the Alor Star High Court on July 24, 2001, for trafficking in more than half a kilogramme of heroin into Malaysia in
- AUGUST 1, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
MEP Marco Cappato went to Ghana to obtain political...
MEP Marco Cappato went to Ghana to obtain political backing for the moratorium proposal on capital executions at the forthcomming UN General Assembly
- JUNE 30, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
President John Agyekum Kufuor granted amnesty to a...
President John Agyekum Kufuor granted amnesty to a number of prisoners including those on the death row, life sentence and first offenders
- JANUARY 21, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Libya agreed to commute the death sentences imposed...
Libya agreed to commute the death sentences imposed on a Nigerian and three Ghanaians convicted of murdering a Libyan, Nigerian officials said
- JANUARY 15, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Nigeria urged Libya to commute the death sentences...
Nigeria urged Libya to commute the death sentences of a Nigerian and three Ghanaians convicted of a 1995 murder, a foreign ministry statement said
- JANUARY 1, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Armed robbery, treason and first-degree murder are...
Armed robbery, treason and first-degree murder are capital crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Ghana has signed and ratified the statute of the International...
Ghana has signed and ratified the statute of the International Criminal Court, the permanent war crimes tribunal of the United Nations
- JANUARY 1, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Armed robbery, treason and first-degree murder are...
Armed robbery, treason and first-degree murder are capital crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Ghana still retains the death penalty on the statute books
Ghana still retains the death penalty on the statute books
- JANUARY 1, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
According to human rights activists and the Ghana Bar...
According to human rights activists and the Ghana Bar Association, at least 155 people were executed between 1984 and 1993 when former President Jerry Rawlings headed an iron-fisted military government
- JANUARY 1, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
No executions have taken place since July 1993, when...
No executions have taken place since July 1993, when 12 prisoners who had been convicted of armed robbery or murder were executed by firing squad
- OCTOBER 7, 2002GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Chief Justice E
Chief Justice E
- AUGUST 14, 2002GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Charles Ebo Quansah, was last week sentenced to death...
Charles Ebo Quansah, was last week sentenced to death by an Accra High Court for murder of Akua Serwaah in Kumasi a self-confessed serial killer