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
JUNE 21, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES SOLDIER TO DEATH OVER MURDER
The Somali military court has sentenced a government soldier to death over the murder of a colleague in Mogadishu.
JUNE 20, 2018ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: 3 ARMED ROBBERS GET 4 DEATH SENTENCES EACH
Three armed robbers who targeted white commercial farmers in Mashonaland Central province, killing four of them, were sentenced to four death sentences each
JUNE 19, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN IN MADHYA PRADESH SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE, MURDER OF 9-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A court in Sagar Madhya Pradesh sentenced a 21-year-old man to death for raping and killing a nine-year-old girl last year.
- JUNE 18, 2018United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAN MURDERS GIRLFRIEND'S EX-LOVER OUT OF REVENGE, GETS DEATH SENTENCE
The Abu Dhabi Court of Appeal upheld an earlier ruling by a lower court which handed down the execution sentence to a Tunisian national after he was found guilty of premeditated murder.
JUNE 17, 2018BahrainDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN: 3 SHIA CLERICS SENTENCED TO DEATH, 8 OTHERS TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Bahraini regime officials have handed down death sentences to three Shia clergymen and condemned eight others to life imprisonment
- JUNE 16, 2018CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Kim Kardashian supports Kevin Cooper, a 'wrongly-convicted' death row inmate.
USA - California. Kim Kardashian supports Kevin Cooper, a 'wrongly-convicted' death row inmate.
JUNE 15, 2018BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS - 2 SENTENS SUSPENDED
WHILE APPEALS CONSIDERED
- JUNE 14, 2018KentuckyDEATH PENALTY
USA - Kentucky. Kentucky Supreme Court rules death penalty IQ law is unconstitutional.
USA - Kentucky. Kentucky Supreme Court rules death penalty IQ law is unconstitutional.
- JUNE 13, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A federal jury sentenced Ricky Fackrell and Christopher Cramer to death
USA - Texas. A federal jury sentenced Ricky Fackrell and Christopher Cramer to death
- JUNE 12, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH - 1 SENTENCE
FOR KILLING WIFE
JUNE 12, 2018AlgeriaDEATH PENALTYALGERIA - BLOGGER FACES DEATH PENALTY
CHARGES FOR FACEBOOK POSTS
- JUNE 12, 2018CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Jury recommends death penalty for Andrew Urdiales
USA - California. Jury recommends death penalty for Andrew Urdiales
- JUNE 12, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Television Documentary on Two Death-Row Prisoners, Darlie Lynn Routier and Julius Jones
USA - Television Documentary on Two Death-Row Prisoners, Darlie Lynn Routier and Julius Jones
- JUNE 12, 2018TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Judge Migdalia Lopez sentenced Gustavo Tijerina-Sandoval to death.
USA - Texas. Judge Migdalia Lopez sentenced Gustavo Tijerina-Sandoval to death.
JUNE 11, 2018NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: FIVE MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri of the Yola High Court sentenced five men to death by hanging
- JUNE 7, 2018NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA. JEREMIAH IDOWU SENTENCED TO DEATH
SENTENCED FOR ROBBERY
- JUNE 7, 2018TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN. LI KUO-HUI SENTENCED TO DEATH
HE KILLED NINE IN AN ARSON
- JUNE 7, 2018CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
ISAURO AGUIRRE SENTENCED TO DEATH
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY
- JUNE 6, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. 2 DEATH SENTENCES
MAZIAR AND FARID SENTENCED
- JUNE 6, 2018TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Michael Wayne Norris resentenced to life in prison
USA - Texas. Michael Wayne Norris resentenced to life in prison
- JUNE 5, 2018TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Gustavo Tijerina Sandoval to death.
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Gustavo Tijerina Sandoval to death.
- JUNE 5, 2018AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Jerry Jerome Smith sentenced to death for 5th time
USA - Alabama. Jerry Jerome Smith sentenced to death for 5th time
- JUNE 4, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The European Union has released an online archive of its engagement with death-penalty cases in the USA
USA - The European Union has released an online archive of its engagement with death-penalty cases in the USA
- JUNE 4, 2018QatarDEATH PENALTY
QATAR: NEPALI MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING QATARI NATIONAL
A court in Qatar has sentenced death penalty to a Nepali man by a firing squad for murdering a Qatari national Umair Mohammed Umair Al Ramzani Al-Nauimi.
- JUNE 1, 2018NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. A 3-judge panel sentenced Patrick Schroeder to death
USA - Nebraska. A 3-judge panel sentenced Patrick Schroeder to death
- MAY 31, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: 3 SUSPECTS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY GALLE HIGH COURT
The Galle High Court handed down the death sentences to three suspects found guilty of murder.
- 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 30, 2018OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. A jury sentenced Lance Hundley to death
USA - Ohio. A jury sentenced Lance Hundley to death
- MAY 29, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN DRUG EXECUTIONS FALL BY 99% FOLLOWING LEGAL AMENDMENT
The implementation of the death penalty for drug offences has all but ended in Iran, although human rights advocates continue to express concern at the judicial system’s response to drugs.
- MAY 28, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Beni: An army sergeant sentenced to death for the murder of five people
28 May 2018: the first Sergeant Damascene Ntagonayigiza Mbyayingabo was sentenced to the death penalty for the murder of five persons.