Uganda
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 · Uganda was a cosponsor of the amendments presented...
- News items in the archive
- 368
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Uganda 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 368 news items on Uganda, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
AUGUST 13, 2026UgandaDEATH PENALTYUganda: Court in Kampala sentences Ndiga clan chief killers to death
- AUGUST 5, 2026UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH, SEVEN JAILED FOR LIFE OVER SUSAN MAGARA MURDER
MAY 29, 2023UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: PRESIDENT MUSEVENI SIGNS HARSH ANTI-GAY LAW, WITH THE DEATH PENALTY IN SOME CASES
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on May 29, 2023 signed one of the world's harshest anti-LGBTQ laws, defying condemnations from Western governments, businesses and human rights activists.
- MARCH 22, 2023UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA: MPS PASS BILL IMPOSING DEATH PENALTY FOR HOMOSEXUALITY
MPs in Uganda have passed a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which would make homosexual acts punishable by death.
- NOVEMBER 16, 2021UgandaDEATH PENALTY
TWO UGANDAN SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SOMALIA
Two Ugandan People’s Defense Force (UPDF) soldiers serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have been sentenced to death and three others to 39 years in jail for the deaths of civilians.
MAY 18, 2021UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: THREE SENTENCED TO 50 YEARS IN JAIL FOR MURDER OF ERITREAN NATIONAL
The High Court in Kampala on 17 May 2021 sentenced three man to 50 years in Jail for the kidnap and killing of an Eritrean businessman.
MAY 6, 2021UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: PARLIAMENT PASSES NEW HOMOPHOBIC BILL
The Ugandan Parliament on 3 May 2021 passed the Sexual Offences Bill 2019, further outlawing “unnatural” same-sex relations and doubling down on laws criminalising the LGBT community.
MAY 14, 2020UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCES FOR FOUR PEOPLE
The Ugandan Supreme Court has confirmed the death sentence of four people from Kamuli District, who are accused of disarming Police and lynched to death four people suspected of poisoning Paul Kigoli, Pml Daily reported on 12 May 2020.
MAY 13, 2020UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCES FOR 82-YEAR OLD
The Ugandan Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by Clement Wandubire, 82, who was sentenced to death for the murder of three people including two Police Officers and a Civilian old man, Pml Daily reported on 12 May 2020.
JANUARY 10, 2020UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: MASAKA PANGA KILLERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Four of the 6 Masaka machete- wielding men have been sentenced to death by General Court Martial sitting in Makidye, The Tower Post reported on 16 December 2019.
- JANUARY 1, 2020UgandaDEATH PENALTY
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
- OCTOBER 17, 2019UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA DENIES PLANS TO IMPOSE DEATH PENALTY FOR GAY SEX AMID GLOBAL CONCERN
Uganda will not impose the death penalty for gay sex, a presidential spokesman said on 14 October 2019, after major aid donors said they were monitoring a plan by the African nation to reintroduce a bill colloquially known as “Kill the Gays”.
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2019UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA: MAN IN GULU SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A 43-year-old man in Gulu, Uganda, has been sentenced to death for murder, URN reported on 22 August 2019.
- SEPTEMBER 6, 2019UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA ABOLISHES MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY
Parliament in Uganda on 21 August 2019 passed a law that abolishes the mandatory death penalty for certain crimes, amending four different laws that had earlier prescribed capital punishment, including the Anti-Terrorism Act.
- JANUARY 1, 2019UgandaDEATH PENALTY
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
DECEMBER 19, 2018UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: SFC SOLDIER, GUARD GET DEATH FOR MURDER
A soldier of the Special Forces Command and a security guard were on 14 December 2018 sentenced to death for the murder of a Mobile Money agent over two years ago.
- JANUARY 31, 2018UgandaDEATH PENALTY
TANZANIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO DEATH BY UGANDAN COURT OVER MURDER
The High Court in Luweero District sentenced to death a 35-year-old Tanzanian national for murdering a fellow casual labourer at a farm in Wakyato Sub County, Nakaseke District.
- JANUARY 1, 2018UgandaDEATH PENALTY
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
- JANUARY 1, 2017UgandaDEATH PENALTY
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
APRIL 20, 2016UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: GOVERNMENT MOVES TO OWN BILL ON DEATH PENALTY
Uganda’s Executive is making a belated move to take charge of the private member’s Bill that seeks to
- JANUARY 1, 2016UgandaDEATH PENALTY
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
- JUNE 19, 2015UgandaDEATH PENALTY
Uganda’s unicameral Parliament adopted the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2015, in order to
Uganda’s unicameral Parliament adopted the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2015, in order to
FEBRUARY 23, 2015UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: MUSEVENI WANTS DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDERERS
Presidenti Yoweri Museveni asked judges to sentence murderers to death.
- JANUARY 1, 2015UgandaDEATH PENALTY
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
- NOVEMBER 20, 2014UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA APPROVED DEATH SENTENCE FOR TERRORISTS
The Ugandan cabinet approved principles of amendments to the country’s anti-terrorism act, introducing the
JULY 1, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: TWO UGANDANS EXECUTED OVER DRUG TRAFFICKING
Ugandan Foreign Ministry spokesman Fred Opolot said two Ugandan drug traffickers – Omar Ddamulira
- JANUARY 1, 2014UgandaDEATH PENALTY
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
Uganda’s penal code provides for 15 capital offences
NOVEMBER 22, 2013UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: DEATH ROW INMATES PLEAD FOR A CHANCE TO LIVE
High Court in Kampala, Uganda, has opened a four-day session to re-sentence 167 death row
- JUNE 16, 2013UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA: 420 CONVICTS ON DEATH ROW
There are 420 currently convicts on death row in Uganda’s prisons, the Uganda Prisons Service
- JANUARY 30, 2013MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
the Malaysian High Court handed the death penalty
the Malaysian High Court handed the death penalty