Yemen
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1998
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JULY 22, 1998 · Yemen signed the letter, dated 22 July 1999, addressed...
- News items in the archive
- 351
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Yemen 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 351 news items on Yemen, from 1998 to today.
Latest news
SEPTEMBER 2, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: INDIAN NURSE NIMISHA PRIYA’S APPEAL AGAINST DEATH PENALTY ACCEPTED BY COURT
In a temporary relief to the family members of Nimisha Priya, an Indian nurse who has been sentenced to death in Yemen, the apex court in the country on August 29, 2020 accepted her appeal against the death penalty imposed against for murdering a Yemeni m
AUGUST 31, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: HOUTHI-RUN COURT SENTENCES 16 TO DEATH FOR 'SPYING FOR SAUDI'
A court controlled by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah has sentenced 16 men to death for allegedly "spying for Saudi Arabia", Yemen Press agency reported on 25 August 2020.
JUNE 17, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTYUN: GUTERRES CALLS ON HOUTHIS TO DROP DEATH SENTENCES AGAINST JOURNALISTS
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on 16 June 2020 expressed his concern about the death sentences issued against journalists by a Houthi court in Sanaa.
- MAY 26, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: INTERNATIONAL OUTCRY OVER YEMENI JOURNALISTS FACING DEATH PENALTY
More than 150 human rights and press freedom groups have appealed to the United Nations to help overturn the death penalty to four journalists in Yemen, Aljazeera reported on 18 May 2020.
- APRIL 16, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: HOUTHIS UNDER PRESSURE TO RELEASE JOURNALISTS
The Houthis are coming under increasing pressure to reverse their decision to execute four Yemeni journalists, who were sentenced to death in court on 11 April 2020 on spying charges.
- APRIL 14, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTY
CPJ CALLS ON HOUTHIS TO REVERSE DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST YEMENI JOURNALISTS, RELEASE THEM FROM CUSTODY
The Committee to Protect Journalists on 11 April 2020 expressed alarm at a decision by the Ansar Allah group, known as the Houthis, to sentence Abdulkhaleq Amran, Akram al-Waleedi, Hareth Hameed, and Tawfiq al-Mansouri to death, and urged the Houthis to r
APRIL 12, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: HOUTHI REBELS SENTENCE 4 REPORTERS TO DEATH
A court run by Yemen's Houthi rebels on 11 April 2020 sentenced four journalists to death after their conviction on spying charges, their defense lawyer said.
MARCH 28, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: HOUTHI REBELS PARDON BAHA'I SENTENCED TO DEATH, RELEASE ALL MINORITY GROUP PRISONERS
Yemen's Houthi rebels announced they had pardoned a minority Baha’i sentenced to death over his religion and ordered the release of more than 20 other members of the minority imprisoned in the capital Sanaa, local reports said on 25 March 2020.
- MARCH 24, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: HOUTHI-RUN COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE AGAINST BAHA’I PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE
An appeals court in Sana’a, Yemen, ruled on 22 March 2020 to uphold a religiously-motivated death sentence against Hamed bin Haydara, a Baha’i who has been imprisoned since 2013.
- MARCH 18, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: PRO-HOUTHI COURT SENTENCES 19 SENIOR ARMY OFFICERS TO DEATH
A Houthi court in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on 17 March 2020 passed the death sentence on 19 senior army officers loyal to the UN-recognised government of President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi.
MARCH 5, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: HOUTHI COURT SENTENCES 35 PRO-GOVERNMENT DEPUTIES TO DEATH
The Houthi-controlled Specialized Criminal Court in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, on 3 March 2020 sentenced 35 Yemeni pro-government deputies to death after charging them with cooperating with the Saudi-led Arab coalition.
- JANUARY 1, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTY
Yemen's legal system is based on both Sharia principles and customary law.
Yemen's legal system is based on both Sharia principles and customary law.
DECEMBER 18, 2019YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: HOUTHI-CONTROLLED COURT SENTENCES 4 TO DEATH FOR ALLEGEDLY SPYING FOR SAUDI ARABIA
A Houthi rebel-controlled court in Yemen's capital Sanaa on 16 December 2019 sentenced four men to death for allegedly spying for Saudi Arabia, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.
JULY 9, 2019YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: REBEL COURT CONDEMNS 30 TO DEATH FOR SPYING
A court run by Yemen's Huthi rebels on 9 July 2019 sentenced 30 academics, trade unionists and preachers to death for allegedly spying for the Saudi-led coalition, a judicial source said.
- APRIL 3, 2019YemenDEATH PENALTY
Rami Amer Khamis bin Thabit al-Nahdi on 7 March 2019 was executed by shooting in public for murder.
Rami Amer Khamis bin Thabit al-Nahdi on 7 March 2019 was executed by shooting in public for murder.
- FEBRUARY 19, 2019YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: TWO MEN SHOT IN PUBLIC FOR KIDNAPING, RAPING AND MURDERING 12-YEAR-OLD BOY
Yemen on 7 February 2019 executed two men for abducting, raping and murdering a 12-year-old boy by shooting them in public.
- JANUARY 1, 2019YemenDEATH PENALTY
Yemen's legal system is based on both Sharia principles and customary law.
Yemen's legal system is based on both Sharia principles and customary law.
OCTOBER 10, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: HOUTHI COURT HANDS DOWN DEATH SENTENCES TO TWO YEMENIS FOR ESPIONAGE
A Houthi court in Sanaa on 9 October 2018 handed down death sentences to two Yemenis on charges including espionage for Saudi Arabia and a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen
- OCTOBER 2, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTY
CONCERN OVER BAHAI' FOLLOWERS TRIAL BY YEMEN REBELS
Concerns are growing over the fate of more than 20 followers of the minority Baha'i faith in Yemen put on trial by the rebel Houthi movement.
- AUGUST 8, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: THREE PAEDOPHILES PUBLICLY SHOT THEN HANGED FROM A CRANE
Three paedophiles were publicly shot then hanged from a crane in Yemen as punishment for raping and killing a ten-year-old boy.
JULY 14, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: HOUTHIS SENTENCED TO DEATH THREE ABDUCTEES ON CHARGES OF ‘ESPIONAGE FOR SAUDI ARABIA’
Houthis militia have sentenced to death three kidnapped on charges of "intelligence with Saudi Arabia".
- MAY 31, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: COURT IN SANAA SENTENCES TO DEATH 7 SUPERVISORS OF ANSARALLAH MOVEMENT
Specialized criminal court in the capital Sanaa has sentenced to death seven supervisors of Ansarallah movement over criminal cases.
- MAY 12, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: 3 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR COLLABORATING WITH FOREIGN STATE
The Specialized Penal Court in Sanaa, chaired by Judge Abdu Rajeh, sentenced three persons to death after being convicted of collaborating with a foreign country and engaging in gangs of Al-Qaeda.
- MAY 8, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: 17 SENTENCED TO DEATH, 87 JAILED ON VARIOUS CHARGES IN SANAA
The Specialized Criminal Court of First Instance in Sanaa sentenced 17 defendants to death and jailed 87 others for different periods in separate cases.
- FEBRUARY 26, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING 3 SOLDIERS IN SANAA
The Central Military Court of First Instance in the capital Sanaa sentenced Ali Mohammed Ahmed al-Maghrabi to death for killing three soldiers and injuring 16 others.
- JANUARY 31, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: 3 SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER SPYING FOR SAUDI-LED COALITION
The criminal court in the capital Sana’a sentenced three people to death and jailed another over charges of spying for the Saudi-led coalition.
- JANUARY 1, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTY
Yemen's legal system is based on both Sharia principles and customary law.
Yemen's legal system is based on both Sharia principles and customary law.
- AUGUST 14, 2017YemenDEATH PENALTY
a 22-year-old man who raped and killed a 4-year-old girl in Yemen was executed by being shot dead and hanged fr
a 22-year-old man who raped and killed a 4-year-old girl in Yemen was executed by being shot dead and hanged fr
AUGUST 1, 2017YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: MAN CONVICTED OF RAPING AND MURDERING THREE-YEAR-OLD GIRL EXECUTED BY MACHINE GUN
A man convicted of raping and murdering a three-year-old girl has been executed in public with a machine gun in Yemen.
- JULY 10, 2017YemenDEATH PENALTY
a court in Sanaa has sentenced to death four Saudis convicted of belonging to al Qaeda and beheading 14 Yemeni
a court in Sanaa has sentenced to death four Saudis convicted of belonging to al Qaeda and beheading 14 Yemeni