Syria
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 · Aggravated murder, aggravated rape and offenses against...
- News items in the archive
- 150
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Syria 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 150 news items on Syria, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
AUGUST 11, 2026SyriaDEATH PENALTYSyria: Former President Assad sentenced to death in absentia
- JULY 22, 2026SyriaDEATH PENALTY
SYRIA’S PROSECUTION SEEKS DEATH PENALTY FOR WASSIM AL-ASSAD
- DECEMBER 15, 2025SyriaDEATH PENALTY
SYRIA DENIES DEATH PENALTY CLAIMS FOR FORMER GRAND MUFTI, SAYS LEGAL PROCESS ONGOING
Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Weis denied widespread online rumors that former Grand Mufti Ahmad Badr al-Din Hassoun faces a death sentence
NOVEMBER 6, 2025SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: MAN TO BE HANGED FOR MURDER OF EIGHT-YEAR-OLD GIRL, IN FIRST DEATH SENTENCE SINCE ASSAD OUSTER
A court in northeast Syria has sentenced a man to death by hanging after finding him guilty of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl, The New Arab reported on November 11, 2025.
MAY 23, 2024SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: THREE DEATH SENTENCES IN ALEPPO COUNTRYSIDE FOR THE MURDER OF ABU GHANNOUM AND HIS WIFE
A military criminal court in the town of al-Rai in Aleppo’s countryside on May 22, 2024 issued a death sentence against the suspects involved in the assassination of activist Mohammed Abdul Latif (Abu Ghannoum) and his pregnant wife, about a year and a ha
- FEBRUARY 23, 2022SyriaDEATH PENALTY
SYRIA REGIME EXECUTED DOZENS OF MEN IN MILITARY PRISON (REPORT)
The Syrian regime has executed dozens of young men from Eastern Ghouta inside the Sednaya Military Prison, Middle East Monitor reported on 22 February 2022, citing a local media group.
- OCTOBER 23, 2021SyriaDEATH PENALTY
SYRIA EXECUTES 24 PEOPLE FOR SETTING WILDFIRES, CALLING IT ‘TERRORISM’
Syria has executed 24 people after convicting them on terrorism charges for igniting last year’s devastating wildfires, leaving three people dead and burning thousands of hectares (acres) of forests, the Justice Ministry said on 21 October 2021.
MAY 3, 2020SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: HAY’AT TAHRIR AL SHAM EXECUTED A CIVILIAN IN ITS DETENTION CENTER
A boy was executed by firing squad in a detention center by Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al Sham for belonging to Syrian Democratic Forces, the young man's family said on 29 April 2020.
MARCH 23, 2020SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: PRESIDENT ASSAD ISSUES AMNESTY, REDUCES SENTENCES
Syrian President Bashar Assad granted amnesty and reduced sentences for all crimes committed before 22 March 2020, while also offering amnesty to military deserters who turn themselves in within the next few months.
- JANUARY 1, 2020SyriaDEATH PENALTY
In Syria, capital crimes are: treason; murder...
In Syria, capital crimes are: treason; murder...
SEPTEMBER 16, 2019SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD DECREES AMNESTY, REDUCES SENTENCES
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on 15 September 2019 issued a decree to release or decrease the punishment of various prisoners, including some detained under the war-torn country's "terrorism law".
SEPTEMBER 10, 2019SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: EMPLOYERS OF MURDERED FILIPINA DOMESTIC SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Syrian court sentenced to death the employers of a Filipina househelper after they were found guilty of her murder in 2017, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said on 9 September 2019.
- JANUARY 1, 2019SyriaDEATH PENALTY
In Syria, capital crimes are: treason; murder...
In Syria, capital crimes are: treason; murder...
DECEMBER 18, 2018SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: DAMASCUS COURT PUTS 4 DEFENDANTS ON DEATH ROW
The Damascus Criminal Court has handed down death sentences to the head of Tahrir al-Sham Mohamed al-Sharaa, known by his alias Abu Muhammad al-Julani and Jaysh al-Islam group head Essam al-Buwaydhani, aawsat.com reported on 12 December 2018.
NOVEMBER 9, 2018SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: 11 REBELS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Assad regime sentenced 11 detainees and prisoners in Hama Central Prison to execution, Al Arabiya reported on 9 November 2018.
FEBRUARY 7, 2018SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: FIRST ‘STONING’ IN PUBLIC CARRIED OUT BY AN ARMY PLEDGES ALLEGIANCE TO THE ‘ISLAMIC STATE’ ORGANIZATION
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that an army pledges allegiance to the “Islamic State” organization carried out the first stoning against a woman
- JANUARY 1, 2018SyriaDEATH PENALTY
In Syria, capital crimes are: treason; murder...
In Syria, capital crimes are: treason; murder...
- AUGUST 2, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
A prominent cyberactivist who was detained on the first anniversary of the 2011 uprising that sparked the Syrian civil war was secretly executed nearly two years ago, his widow said.
A prominent cyberactivist who was detained on the first anniversary of the 2011 uprising that sparked the Syrian civil war was secretly executed nearly two years ago, his widow said.
- JUNE 4, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
ISIS executes 33, its largest mass killing of 2017
4 June 2017: the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) executed 33 people in eastern Syria on Wednesday, according to a monitoring group, in its biggest mass killing in 2017.
- MAY 20, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
“Stoning” an immigrant woman of the members of the ” ISIS ” organization east of Deir Ezzor
20 May 2017: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the ” ISIS ” organization stoned one of its ” immigrant” women members of non-Arabic nationality in al-Mayadin
- MAY 18, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
“Islamic State” organization carries out the 5th “stoning” in Al-Mayadin city
18 May 2017: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the “Islamic State” organization has stoned a married woman in the Municipal Square of Al-Mayadin
- MAY 15, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Consecutive “stoning” of a woman and 3 fighters from the Islamic State organization in al-Mayadin
15 May 2017: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that 4 persons were stoned by the “Islamic State” organization in al-Mayadin city
- APRIL 8, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
IS, “stoning a young man” in al-Mayadin
8 April 2017: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the “Islamic State” organization stoned a young man to death in the main street of al-Mayadin
- FEBRUARY 7, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
SYRIA: ASSAD 'HANGS 13,000 AT SLAUGHTERHOUSE JAIL WHERE PRISONERS COUNT DISCARDED SLIPPERS TO KNOW HOW MANY HAVE DIED'
President Assad's regime has executed up to 13,000 people in mass hangings carried out in the basement of a notorious prison, a chilling new report claims.
- JANUARY 19, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
Isis executes 12 in Palmyra
19 January 2017: the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) executed 12 people, including teachers, in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra
- JANUARY 1, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
In Syria, capital crimes are: treason; murder...
In Syria, capital crimes are: treason; murder...
JULY 28, 2016SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: ISIS CRUCIFIES MAN FOR APOSTASY
The Islamic State militants executed and crucified a civilian man in Aleppo after accusing him of apostasy,
- MAY 23, 2016SyriaDEATH PENALTY
SYRIA: ISIS STONE A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY TO DEATH FOR THE 'CRIME' OF BEING GAY
Islamic extremists stoned a 15-year-old boy in Syria to death for the ‘crime’ of being gay.
MAY 5, 2016SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: IS EXECUTES 7-YEAR-OLD BOY FOR SWEARING DURING SOCCER GAME
The Islamic State executed a seven-year-old little boy for swearing while he was playing soccer with friends
FEBRUARY 23, 2016SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: TWO TEEN GIRLS STONED TO DEATH BY ISIS FOR 'ADULTERY' AS THE MEN GET 50 LASHES
Two teenage girls were stoned to death by ISIS in Syria but the two men they were with escaped with just