Death sentences
Archive theme
A death sentence is not the same thing as an execution: years can pass between the two, and the sentence may be overturned on appeal, commuted, or never carried out. Counting them separately measures two different things: how far a state resorts to capital punishment, and how far it actually applies it.
This page collects the news on death sentences handed down around the world, on the later stages of appeal, and on the sentences upheld or overturned. Executions have a page of their own.
Latest news
SEPTEMBER 14, 2026TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTaiwan: death row inmate dies of illness; 34 remain
SEPTEMBER 9, 2026PakistanDEATH PENALTYPakistan: LHC acquits death-row prisoner after nearly seven years
SEPTEMBER 8, 2026ThailandDEATH PENALTYThailand: killer of Hua Hin hotel receptionist sentenced to death
SEPTEMBER 2, 2026United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Billy Adams sentenced to death
SEPTEMBER 2, 2026BotswanaDEATH PENALTYBotswana: man sentenced to death for killing Korean national 10 years ago
AUGUST 31, 2026PakistanDEATH PENALTYPakistan: ASI sentenced to death for killing two brothers in Swabi
AUGUST 31, 2026BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBangladesh: HC confirms death sentence of lone accused for rape, murder of 8-year-old Asiya
AUGUST 30, 2026PakistanDEATH PENALTYPakistan: Man sentenced to death, brother gets life term for double murder in 2021
AUGUST 13, 2026UgandaDEATH PENALTYUganda: Court in Kampala sentences Ndiga clan chief killers to death
AUGUST 12, 2026IraqDEATH PENALTYIraq: Al-Sulaymaniyah reformatory holds 14 women on death row
AUGUST 11, 2026SyriaDEATH PENALTYSyria: Former President Assad sentenced to death in absentia
AUGUST 11, 2026ChinaDEATH PENALTYChina: Former Nanjing senior official sentenced to death with reprieve
- AUGUST 6, 2026BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING 4-YR-OLD GIRL IN SYLHET
- AUGUST 5, 2026UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH, SEVEN JAILED FOR LIFE OVER SUSAN MAGARA MURDER
AUGUST 2, 2026IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: DEATH SENTENCE ISSUED OVER KILLING OF BASRA ANTI-CRIME OFFICER
- AUGUST 2, 2026SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: SIX POLICE OFFICERS SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER DETAINEE’S TORTURE DEATH
JULY 31, 2026Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: TWO EX OFFICIALS SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER 2019 EASTER BOMBINGS
JULY 30, 2026NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: BRIDE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HUSBAND NINE DAYS AFTER WEDDING IN KANO
JULY 29, 2026BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: DRIVER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING WOMAN IN DHAKA’S BADDA
JULY 27, 2026Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: FIVE ETHIOPIAN MIGRANTS EXECUTED
- JULY 23, 2026IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT, MURDER OF 7-YEAR-OLD BOY IN UP
- JULY 21, 2026BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE 9 YEARS AFTER KILLING WIFE
JULY 12, 2026SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN COURT SENTENCES RSF LEADER HEMETTI TO DEATH OVER WEST DARFUR KILLINGS
- JULY 11, 2026South AfricaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH AFRICA: CALLS TO RESTORE DEATH PENALTY WOULD RETURN SA TO ‘BARBARISM’
- JULY 9, 2026NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: LAGOS MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OVER WOMAN DISPUTE
- JULY 8, 2026United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING OF MOTHER AND TWO DAUGHTERS IN RAS AL KHAIMAH
JULY 6, 2026ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINESE COURT HANDS FORMER LOCAL OFFICIAL RARE DEATH SENTENCE IN $324 MILLION GRAFT CASE
JULY 2, 2026PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR ‘BLASPHEMOUS’ FACEBOOK POST IN SAHIWAL
- JULY 2, 2026BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HUSBAND, DISMEMBERING BODY
- APRIL 22, 2026ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: FORMER VILLAGE HEAD SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 21 CRIMES
Huang Dafa, a former village head and businessman in Hubei province, was sentenced to death on 21 charges,