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
- APRIL 27, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTY
UTTARAKHAND (INDIA): SOLITARY CONFINEMENT UNCONSTITUTIONAL
The Uttarakhand High Court declared the practice of solitary confinement unconstitutional.
- APRIL 26, 2018AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. A jury recommended the death penalty for Peter Capote
USA - Alabama. A jury recommended the death penalty for Peter Capote
- APRIL 23, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
MURDERER OF ADIB EGYPT BANK CEO NEVINE LOUTFY SENTENCED TO DEATH
Egypt’s Giza Criminal Court handed down a death sentence to the killer of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB) CEO Nevine Loutfy, who was found dead inside her house in Cairo’s 6 October City in 2016.
- APRIL 19, 2018IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ GIVES DEATH SENTENCE TO ISLAMIC STATE 'JUDGE'
An Iraqi court has given the death penalty to a man who acted as a legislative judge in Mosul for the Islamic State (IS) when the group was in control of the city, said a judicial spokesman.
- APRIL 19, 2018CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Vicente Benavides was freed from prison Thursday afternoon after 26 years on death row.
USA - California. Vicente Benavides was freed from prison Thursday afternoon after 26 years on death row.
- APRIL 18, 2018ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
ZAMBIA: LUSAKA WIFE TO HANG FOR KILLING HUSBAND
A ninteen-year-old Lusaka wife has been sentenced to death for stabbing her husband to death using a kitchen knife.
- APRIL 18, 2018CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Vicente Benavides to Be Freed After 26 Years on Death Row.
USA - California. Vicente Benavides to Be Freed After 26 Years on Death Row.
APRIL 18, 2018IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: MORE THAN 300 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR IS LINKS
Iraqi courts have sentenced to death a total of more than 300 people, including dozens of foreigners, for belonging to the Islamic State group, judicial sources said.
APRIL 18, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 2 TO WALK GALLOWS IN NATORE FOR KILLING GIRL AFTER RAPE
A court in Natore sentenced two young men to death for killing a schoolgirl after rape in Naldanga upazila in 2015.
- APRIL 18, 2018ConnecticutDEATH PENALTY
USA - Connecticut. Jessie Campbell resentenced to life in prison without parole
USA - Connecticut. Jessie Campbell resentenced to life in prison without parole
- APRIL 17, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Egypt 1 sentenced to death for ordinary crimes
17 April 2018: the Cairo Criminal Court sentenced one person to death for killing a Yemeni student in the course of a robbery.
- APRIL 17, 2018TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Isidro Delacruz to death.
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Isidro Delacruz to death.
APRIL 17, 2018IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: 4 FOREIGN WOMEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR JOINING IS
An Iraqi court sentenced four foreign women to death and three to life in prison for joining the extremist militant group Islamic State (IS), the Iraqi judiciary said.
- APRIL 16, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Egypt 3 sentenced to death for ordinary crimes
16 April 2018: three defendants were sentenced to death for killing their brother by the Alexandria Criminal Court.
- APRIL 15, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Egypt 1 sentenced to death for ordinary crimes
15 April 2018: the Zaqaziq Criminal Court handed down the death penalty in connection with a murder.
- APRIL 13, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: ODISHA COURT AWARDS DEATH SENTENCE TO NINE MEN IN GUNUPUR TRIPLE MURDER CASE
A Gunupur court in Odisha awarded capital punishment to nine men convicted of murdering three persons of a family in Gunupur in 2016.
- APRIL 11, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Egypt 3 sentenced to death for ordinary crimes
11 April 2018: the Zaqaziq Criminal Court sentenced three people to death in connection with a bloody row between two families.
APRIL 11, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: ‘PRESIDENT REJECTED 513 MERCY PETITIONS OF DEATH ROW PRISONERS IN LAST FIVE YEARS’
Pakistan is among the five most prolific executioners in the world with 487 executions in the last three years, while the president has rejected 513 mercy petitions in the last five years, a report launched on April 11 has found.
APRIL 10, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 36 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR CHURCH ATTACKS
A Cairo military court sentenced 36 people to death over their involvement in attacks against Coptic churches in Egypt, defence lawyers said.
- APRIL 10, 2018ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. The Arizona Supreme Court has upheld a trial court ruling that Kevin Artice Miles has intellectual disability and is ineligible for the death penalty.
USA - Arizona. The Arizona Supreme Court has upheld a trial court ruling that Kevin Artice Miles has intellectual disability and is ineligible for the death penalty.
APRIL 10, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING 6-YR-OLD BOY
A court in Pilibhit (UP) sentenced a 35-year-old man to be hanged to death for killing a six-year-old boy in Amariya township last year.
- APRIL 9, 2018IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: SEVEN KEY ISLAMIC STATE LEADERS SENTENCED TO DEATH ON GENOCIDE CHARGES
An Iraqi court sentenced seven key Islamic State (IS) leaders to death as they were found guilty of killing scores of innocent people in Nineveh.
- APRIL 5, 2018OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oklahoma. Judge Cindy Truong sentenced Dustin Melvin Davison to death.
USA - Oklahoma. Judge Cindy Truong sentenced Dustin Melvin Davison to death.
- APRIL 4, 2018TunisiaDEATH PENALTY
OCTT ANNUAL REPORT 2017: 77 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN TUNISIA
During the presentation of the Annual Report by the Organization against Torture in Tunisia (OCTT), the Vice-President, Chokri Letaief, announced that there are 77 people sentenced to death in Tunisia.
APRIL 4, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: THREE GET DEATH PENALTY FOR 2011 RAPE, MURDER OF TEENAGED GIRL IN CHITTAGONG
A Chittagong court has sentenced three men to death for raping and murdering a teen seven years ago.
APRIL 4, 2018MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THREE MEN SENT TO GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men, including two Taiwanese nationals, were sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia after they were found guilty of trafficking in 8kg of drug into the country.
- APRIL 3, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Egypt 6 sentenced to death for ordinary crimes in two different cases
3 April 2018: the Shebin al-Kom Criminal Court sentenced two people to death; another four people were sentenced to death in connection with a blood feud by the Sohag Court.
APRIL 2, 2018IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: BAGHDAD SENTENCES SIX TURKISH ISIL WIDOWS TO DEATH
Iraq sentenced six Turkish women to death and a seventh to life in prison after being convicted on charges of terrorism, including providing support to ISIL operations.
- APRIL 1, 2018KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
KUWAIT: LEBANESE COUPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING MAID
A Kuwaiti criminal court has sentenced a Lebanese man and his Syrian wife to death by hanging for killing their Philipina maid, according to Al Arabiya News Channel.
MARCH 30, 2018GuyanaDEATH PENALTYGUYANA: TWO WOMEN SENTENCED TO DEATH
In Guyana, two women were sentenced to death by Justice Sandil Kissoon in the Berbice High Court.