Malawi
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 · The offenses for which capital punishment either can...
- News items in the archive
- 67
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Malawi 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 67 news items on Malawi, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2024MalawiDEATH PENALTY
MALAWI GOVERNMENT DELAYS DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION BILL
The Malawi Ministry of Justice has delayed tabling the bill on the abolition of the death penalty, despite last year’s commitment to present it in parliament this year, Channel Africa reported on August 22, 2024.
OCTOBER 12, 2023MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: GOVT SAYS DEATH PENALTY WILL BE ABOLISHED
Government through the Ministry of Justice has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating death penalty in the country saying the act is barbaric.
- SEPTEMBER 1, 2021MalawiDEATH PENALTY
MALAWI: SUPREME COURT REVERSES DEATH PENALTY BAN
The Malawi Supreme Court of Appeals on 20 August 2021 issued a ruling reversing its prior judgement that had declared the death penalty unconstitutional.
APRIL 29, 2021MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: SUPREME COURT RULES DEATH PENALTY IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Malawi's highest court on 28 April 2021 outlawed the death penalty and ordered the re-sentencing of all convicts facing execution.
- JANUARY 1, 2020MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
DECEMBER 3, 2019MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING ALBINO
The High Court in Lilongwe has sentenced to death four people while four others have been handed life sentences for killing a 21-year-old woman with albinism in Dowa in 2016, the Nation reported on 2nd December 2019.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2019MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING PERSON WITH ALBINISM
The High Court in Mchinji on 13 August 2019 sentenced to death three people who were convicted of killing a person with albinism.
JUNE 10, 2019MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: KILLER OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH ALBINISM SENTENCED TO DEATH
Malawi’s high court on 7 June 2019 sentenced to death a man who murdered a young albino.
MAY 13, 2019MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING BOY WITH ALBINIM
There has been a landmark court ruling in Malawi which has seen the first person sentenced to death for killing a teenager with albinism.
- JANUARY 1, 2019MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2018MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2017MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2016MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- NOVEMBER 13, 2015MalawiDEATH PENALTY
EU HOPES MALAWI WILL COMPLETE THE PROCESS OF ABOLISHING THE DEATH PENALTY
The European Union says it hopes one day Malawi will take the next step and actually complete the process
- AUGUST 18, 2015MalawiDEATH PENALTY
23-year-old Dickson Elia was sentenced to death by the high court sitting in Dedza after being found guilty
23-year-old Dickson Elia was sentenced to death by the high court sitting in Dedza after being found guilty
APRIL 30, 2015MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: TWO PRISONERS REMOVED FROM DEATH ROW
After many years of delay, the Courts in Malawi have been conducting sentencing hearings in the cases of prisoners who received mandatory death sentences prior to the landmark High Court ruling in 2007 which struck down the mandatory death penalty.
MARCH 30, 2015MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: 24 CAPITAL PUNISHMENT CASES GONE FOR RETRIAL, 5 REVERSED
At least 24 out of 192 death row inmates have been taken to the High Court for resentencing hearings, and of the 24, five inmates have had their death penalties changed to custodial sentences, Malawi News Agency has learnt.
FEBRUARY 10, 2015MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: COURTS BEGIN RE-SENTENCING OF DEATH-ROW PRISONERS
Re-sentencing for some 170 death row inmates begins this Wednesday (February 11) as part of adherence
- JANUARY 1, 2015MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- NOVEMBER 11, 2014MalawiDEATH PENALTY
MALAWI: COURTS TO RE-HEAR CASES OF PRISONERS ON MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY
Malawi’s judiciary has said it will soon sit to re-hear cases of prisoners who were previously sentenced to
- JULY 9, 2014MalawiDEATH PENALTY
MALAWI WILL NOT ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY, UN TOLD
Malawi will not abolish the death penalty from its laws, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs
- JANUARY 1, 2014MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- MARCH 15, 2013IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA RESUMES EXECUTIONS AFTER HIATUS
Indonesia put to death a Malawian drug trafficker, the government said, in the country's first execution for several years.
- JANUARY 1, 2013MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2012MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2011MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2010MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- JULY 19, 2009MalawiDEATH PENALTY
MALAWIANS SUPPORT DEATH PENALTY
the majority of Malawians preferred the death penalty over any other form of punishment, according to a study by the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament.
- APRIL 10, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
MALAWIAN DRUG TRAFFICKER GETS SUSPENDED DEATH PENALTY IN S CHINA CITY
a Malawian man received the death penalty with a two-year reprieve for trafficking more than 1,140 grams of heroin into China. The Intermediate People's Court of Guilin, a city in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, handed down the sentence. M
- JANUARY 1, 2009MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...