Sudan
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 Sudanese Penal Code is part of the 1983 Shari'a...
- News items in the archive
- 333
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Sudan 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 333 news items on Sudan, from 1999 to today.
In Sudan the death penalty applies to murder, offences against the state and offences under sharia law, and the method is hanging. Reforms in recent years have shortened the list of punishable offences, but the conflict has left the judicial picture fragmented.
The archive gathers sentences, executions and the individual cases the association follows.
Latest news
DECEMBER 5, 2019SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: RSF OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR KILLING CIVILIAN IN EL GENEINA
Capital punishment has been chosen as a sentence for a Rapid Support Forces officer by the Criminal Court of El-Geneina, Sudan, Live Report reported on 4 December 2019.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2019SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: 8 DARFUR REBEL DEATH SENTENCES ANNULLED TO 'BUILD CONFIDENCE'
Sudan said on 19 September 2019 it had annulled death sentences against eight rebels from Darfur, a move aimed at "building confidence" with armed groups as new authorities attempt to bring peace to the war-torn region.
SEPTEMBER 10, 2019SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: JUNTA DROPS DEATH PENALTY AGAINST REBEL LEADERS
Sudan’s ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) has cancelled the death penalty that was issued against Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) leader Malik Agar, his deputy Yasir Arman, and 15 others in 2014.
- JANUARY 1, 2019SudanDEATH PENALTY
The 1991 penal code based on Sharia law prescribes both the death penalty and corporal punishment.
The 1991 penal code based on Sharia law prescribes both the death penalty and corporal punishment.
NOVEMBER 26, 2018SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: WHITE NILE COURT SENTENCES DARFUR STUDENT TO DEATH
The Kosti criminal court in Sudan's White Nile state condemned Darfuri student Abubakar Yousef to death, and sentenced another 10 students from Darfur to prison terms, for their participation in riots at the University of Bakht El Rida in May 2017, allafr
OCTOBER 18, 2018SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: MUEZZIN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE
The Criminal Court of Kassala on 15 October 2018 convicted a muezzin of raping a five-year-old girl, and sentenced him to death by hanging.
OCTOBER 15, 2018SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: 28 REBEL FIGHTERS STILL DETAINED DESPITE 2017 PRESIDENTIAL AMNESTY
States Council representative Abdelrahman Banat announced on 10 October 2018 that there are seven prisoners of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and 21 prisoners from the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) at El Huda prison in Sudan's second city
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2018SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: KHARTOUM SENTENCED OVER 1, 000 S. SUDANESE TO DEATH
There are more than 1,000 South Sudanese inmates who have been sentenced to death in Sudan, a South Sudanese coordinator for the Refugee Council of Sudan has said.
JUNE 26, 2018SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: NOURA HUSSEIN ESCAPES DEATH PENALTY AFTER KILLING RAPIST HUSBAND
An appeals court in Sudan has overturned the death sentence of a woman who killed her husband after he allegedly raped her, her lawyer says.
MAY 15, 2018SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: WOMAN FLOGGED FOR MARRYING WITHOUT HER FATHER’S CONSENT
A woman was lashed 75 times after a court found her guilty of marrying a man without her father’s consent, her lawyer and rights activists said.
MAY 10, 2018SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: PRESIDENT AL-BASHIR PARDONS 5 DEATH-SENTENCED REBELS
Sudan’s President Omer al-Bashir pardoned five members of the rebel Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) who had been sentenced to death by military courts.
- JANUARY 1, 2018SudanDEATH PENALTY
The 1991 penal code based on Sharia law prescribes both the death penalty and corporal punishment.
The 1991 penal code based on Sharia law prescribes both the death penalty and corporal punishment.
DECEMBER 5, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: KHARTOUM APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR COLLEGE STUDENT
The Khartoum Court of Appeals issued a ruling upholding the death sentence against the university student Asim Omer for the alleged killing a policeman during protests last year.
- OCTOBER 24, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: DARFUR TRIBUNAL SENTENCES TWO TO DEATH
Darfur Special Criminal Court (DSCC) in East Darfur state capital, Ed-Daein sentenced two individuals to death on charges of murder and armed robbery.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: STUDENT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING POLICEMAN
A court in Sudan sentenced a university student to death after convicting him of killing a policeman during protests in the capital last year, a defence lawyer said.
MAY 30, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: DEATH SENTENCE FOR RAPE, MURDER OF GIRL IN SOUTH DARFUR CITY
The Children's Court in Nyala sentenced the rapist and killer of a six-year-old girl to death by hanging. The victim was found tied-down in his shop, and was suffocated with napkins and biscuits.
- MAY 12, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTY
Sudanese activist accused of apostasy released on grounds of “mental incompetence”
12 May 2017: Mohamed Salih (or in some source Mohamed al-Dosogy) was arrested for “apostasy” after writing to a Sudanese court that he wanted to change the religion listed on his national identification card from ‘Islam’ to ‘atheist’ or ‘non-religious’.
MARCH 30, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: DARFUR CRIMES COURT SENTENCES TWO TO DEATH BY HANGING IN EL-GENEINA
Darfur Special Criminal Court sentenced two individuals to death by hanging on charges of killing armed robbery in West Darfur state capital, El-Geneina.
MARCH 8, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: PRESIDENT OMAR AL-BASHIR PARDONS 259 REBELS
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir pardoned 259 rebels captured in fighting with government forces, including dozens who had been sentenced to death.
- FEBRUARY 17, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: CHILD RAPIST SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Sudanese court has sentenced a defendant to death after he was found guilty of raping a two-year-old girl to death last year.
- FEBRUARY 1, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTY
Darfur Crimes Special Court in Ad Diein, Nyala Issue Death Sentence for Two Convicts
February 2017: according to Sudan Vision, two were sentenced to death also for terrorism
JANUARY 5, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTYSudan frees 25 S. Sudanese death-row inmates
5 January 2017: the twenty five inmates who were sentenced to death by the government of Sudan have been pardoned, says the Humanitarian Attaché at South Sudan’s Embassy in Khartoum.
- JANUARY 1, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTY
The 1991 penal code based on Sharia law prescribes both the death penalty and corporal punishment.
The 1991 penal code based on Sharia law prescribes both the death penalty and corporal punishment.
NOVEMBER 29, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: ARMY OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE IN SOUTH DARFUR
The South Darfur Special Crimes Court sentenced an army officer to death. After the accused was found
- OCTOBER 27, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: PRESIDENTIAL 'GOODWILL AMNESTY' FOR CONVICTED SPLM-N REBELS
Sudan's President Omar Al Bashir has issued a decision to drop the remaining sentences against the
- OCTOBER 5, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: THREE CONDEMNED TO HANG IN BURAM, SOUTH DARFUR
The Criminal Court of Buram in South Darfur sentenced three men to death for armed robbery, murder, and grievous bodily harm.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: COURT CONDEMNS 18 TRIBESMEN TO DEATH
The Khartoum North Criminal Court sentenced 18 people to death for their part in a 2014 tribal clash. The
SEPTEMBER 21, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: TRIAL TO RESUME FOR CHRISTIAN PASTORS WHO COULD FACE DEATH PENALTY
A trial was set to resume this week in Sudan for pastors accused of bringing Christian persecution to the
- JUNE 23, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: FOUR GUNMEN SENTENCED TO DEATH AND LIFE IMPRISONMENT IN SOUTH DARFUR
A Sudanese court in Nyala, capital of South Darfur state, sentenced to death and life imprisonment four
APRIL 6, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: 22 SOUTH SUDANESE SENTENCED TO DEATH
An anti-terrorism court in Khartoum sentenced 22 South Sudanese nationals to death and three others to life in prison for belonging to a militant group in Darfur.