Malaysia
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 · The death penalty is provided for by various laws
- News items in the archive
- 972
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Malaysia 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 972 news items on Malaysia, from 1999 to today.
In Malaysia the death penalty was mandatory for certain offences, among them drug trafficking. A reform in 2023 abolished that mandatory character and opened the review of sentences already handed down, many of which have been commuted. The method is hanging.
The archive follows the reform, the reviews and the cases still open.
Latest news
DECEMBER 6, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TRIO SENT TO GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men were sent to the gallows by the High Court in the Malaysian state of Penang
- DECEMBER 4, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR TWO SYABU TRAFFICKERS UPHELD
The Federal Court in Sabah State, Malaysia, upheld two men’s conviction and death sentence for
NOVEMBER 28, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE APPEAL DISMISSED
The Court of Appeal in Sabah State, Malaysia, upheld the death sentence of a jobless man who
NOVEMBER 28, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO FRIENDS SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Two friends were sent to the gallows by a High Court in Malaysia for trafficking 195.6kg of
- NOVEMBER 12, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
man was saved from the gallows for the second time after the Federal Court
man was saved from the gallows for the second time after the Federal Court
NOVEMBER 9, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: AUSTRALIAN NURSE FREED FROM DEATH ROW
The lawyer for Australian nurse Emma Louise L'Aiguille accused of drug trafficking in Malaysia
- OCTOBER 31, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
two Bulgarian men were sentenced to death by hanging by the High Court
two Bulgarian men were sentenced to death by hanging by the High Court
- OCTOBER 21, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIAN GOVT. MULLING SCRAPPING DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG OFFENCES
The Malaysian Government is considering the possibility of withdrawing the mandatory
OCTOBER 18, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO INDONESIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING A BURGLAR
Two Indonesian migrant workers from Pontianak, West Kalimantan, were sentenced to
OCTOBER 10, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: 930 ON DEATH ROW
A total 930 death row prisoners were in jails in Malaysia as of Aug 31, their cases pending
- OCTOBER 9, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: TWO CUSTOMS OFFICERS TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
In Malaysia, the High Court sentenced two Customs preventive officers to death by hanging
SEPTEMBER 28, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO WOMEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUGS
Malaysian courts sentenced two women, a Filipino and Indonesian, to death in separate
SEPTEMBER 14, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: SIBU COURT SPARES FOUR KIDNAPPERS THE NOOSE
In Malaysia, the High Court sentenced a woman and three men to life imprisonment
- AUGUST 30, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
an unemployed man was sent to the gallows by the Johor Baharu High Court
an unemployed man was sent to the gallows by the Johor Baharu High Court
- AUGUST 30, 2012NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
the Putrajaya Federal Court, in Malaysia...
the Putrajaya Federal Court, in Malaysia...
- AUGUST 29, 2012IranDEATH PENALTY
two Iranians were sent to the gallows after the Malaysian High Court
two Iranians were sent to the gallows after the Malaysian High Court
- AUGUST 29, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
an odd-job worker escaped the gallows
an odd-job worker escaped the gallows
- AUGUST 21, 2012JapanDEATH PENALTY
a Malaysian court handed down a death sentence
a Malaysian court handed down a death sentence
- AUGUST 2, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: FILIPINO EX-CON SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR MURDER
The High Court in Malaysia sent a Filipino ex-convict to the gallows after he was found guilty
- JULY 31, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: IRANIAN FAMILY ON DRUG CHARGE SAVED FROM THE GALLOWS
Three members of an Iranian family were saved from the gallows when the High Court
- JULY 30, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the Federal Court in Malaysia...
the Federal Court in Malaysia...
- JULY 24, 2012IranDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: TWO IRANIAN MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH
two Iranian men were sentenced to death by the High Court...
- JULY 18, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF MAID'S KILLER
In Malaysia, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and death sentence handed down
JULY 18, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: JOHOR SULTAN PARDONS EIGHT PRISONERS
In Malaysia, the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim has consented to grant full
- JULY 14, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA WEIGHS SPARING DRUG MULES THE GALLOWS
In Malaysia, the Malay Mail reported the Attorney-General was considering
- JULY 4, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
Malaysia’s High Court sentenced a Thai woman to be executed by hanging
Malaysia’s High Court sentenced a Thai woman to be executed by hanging
- JULY 3, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MAN IN RETRIAL
An Indian national from Chennai was sentenced to death by hanging in Malaysia after he
- JUNE 30, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: IRANIAN BUSINESSMAN TO HANG FOR DRUGS
An Iranian businessman was sent to the gallows by a High Court in Malaysia for trafficking 2kg of
- JUNE 27, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
crying family members and friends of four men...
crying family members and friends of four men...
JUNE 27, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: FOUR SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR TRAFFICKING CANNABIS
In Malaysia, two brothers were among four drug traffickers handed the death