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
- MARCH 30, 2018ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA'S 'JACK THE RIPPER' SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Chinese court sentenced a 54-year-old man dubbed the country's "Jack the Ripper" to death for the rape and murder of 11 women and girls over the course of 14 years, state television reported.
MARCH 29, 2018NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: DELTA STATE GOVERNOR COMMUTES 30 ON DEATH ROW TO LIFE SENTENCE
Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State governor, has approved the grant of total pardon to five inmates who were serving various prison terms and commuted 30 others on death row to life imprisonment.
MARCH 29, 2018ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: CHIEF KILLERS TO HANG
The Ndola High Court sentenced five men and two women to death by hanging for murdering Senior Chief Tafuna and his subject in Mpulungu following a succession dispute.
MARCH 28, 2018ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: FORMER VICE MAYOR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR CORRUPTION
Zhang Zhongsheng, the former vice mayor of Luliang City in north China’s Shanxi Province, was sentenced to death for taking bribes of more than 1 billion yuan (US$159 million).
MARCH 28, 2018ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: SIX GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE FOR FAMILY MASSACRE
Six men were sentenced to death for the massacre of a Thai village headman and seven members of his family, including three children, over a land dispute.
MARCH 27, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 21-YEAR-OLD WOMAN TO BE SENT TO THE GALLOWS
The death sentence for a young woman was confirmed by the Supreme Court, according to the state-run Aftab news agency.
- MARCH 26, 2018United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAID SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING INFANT
The Sharjah Criminal Court ruled, in the presence of ‘blood relatives,’ to execute the Asian maid who was convicted of premeditatedly killing Salama Salem Al Mazmi, a 9 month-old infant.
MARCH 23, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: CHRISTIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY ACQUITTED
A Pakistani Christian sentenced to death for blasphemy nearly two years ago has been acquitted.
MARCH 23, 2018Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTYMYANMAR: MANDALAY COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DIE FOR CHILD RAPE
A Mandalay court sentenced to death a man for raping a two-and-a-half-year-old girl in Madaya township last month.
- MARCH 22, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Three more men have been executed in Egypt for terrorism.
Three more men have been executed in Egypt for terrorism.
- MARCH 22, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
two other persons -Suleiman Eid Garabia and Rabhi Gomaa Hussein Hassan – were executed by hanging.
22 March 2018: two other persons -Suleiman Eid Garabia and Rabhi Gomaa Hussein Hassan – were executed by hanging.
MARCH 22, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: SOLDIER, 2 OTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HINDU PRIEST KILLING
A soldier and two others accused of killing a Hindu priest in Murugumoorthi Sankanai, Jaffna, on April 11, 2010, and severely injuring another were convicted and sentenced to death.
MARCH 22, 2018JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: EX-WORKER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING 3 AT NURSING HOME
A court sentenced a 25-year-old man to death for killing three elderly residents at a nursing home he was working for in Kawasaki, near Tokyo, in 2014.
- MARCH 21, 2018IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: MORE THAN 3,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ALLEGED TERROR LINKS
Iraq has detained or imprisoned at least 19,000 people accused of connections to the Islamic State group or other terror-related offenses, and sentenced more than 3,000 of them to death, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.
- MARCH 21, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Congo: Colonel Abbas Kayonga sentenced to death with 13 other people
21 March 2018: Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bukavu military court sentenced the former anti-corruption chief of the rich mining province of South Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- MARCH 21, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TERRORISM
The Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced a man to death for being part of a terrorist cell in the town of Al-Awamiyah in the Eastern Province.
MARCH 20, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: COURT GIVES DEATH SENTENCE TO RAPIST, MURDERER OF MINOR GIRL
Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) gave death sentence to a convict involved in rape and murder of a minor girl in Quetta.
- MARCH 20, 2018MississippiDEATH PENALTY
USA - Mississippi. The 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has reinstated the death sentence of Lisa Jo Chamberlin
USA - Mississippi. The 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has reinstated the death sentence of Lisa Jo Chamberlin
MARCH 19, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PROTESTER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RUNNING OVER POLICEMEN
An Iranian court sentenced to death a protester for ramming a bus into a group of policemen last month, killing three, before being arrested.
- MARCH 18, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: SEVEN MILITANTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING SUFI SHRINE CARETAKER
Seven militants, including neo-JMB terror group's regional chief, were sentenced to death in Bangladesh for killing a Sufi shrine caretaker in 2015, according to a media report.
- MARCH 15, 2018DEATH PENALTY
USA - Georgia. Carlton Gary was executed
USA - Georgia. Carlton Gary was executed
- MARCH 15, 2018DEATH PENALTY
USA: TWO EXECUTIONS IN ALABAMA AND GEORGIA
Two prisoners were executed in the states of Alabama and Georgia, leading to 5 executions since the start of the year in the US and to 1,471 prisoners put to death since the US resumed executions in 1977.
MARCH 14, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: HEROIN PEDDLER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A heroin peddler accused of trafficking 14.6 grams of heroin was sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court.
- MARCH 13, 2018AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Judge Hal Hughston sentenced Benjamin Young to death.
USA - Alabama. Judge Hal Hughston sentenced Benjamin Young to death.
- MARCH 12, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: ARMY COURTS AWARDED DEATH TO 186 PERSONS SINCE 2015
A total of 486 cases have come before the military courts since their inception in the year 2015.
MARCH 12, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: CRIMINAL COURT SENTENCES TO DEATH WIFE AND LOVER FOR MURDERING HUSBAND IN SHARQIA
The Criminal Court in Sharqia Governorate chaired by Chancellor Mahmud Al Kahky has upheld decision of the Grand Mufti to sentence to death a housewife and her lover for murdering the husband and an angler wants to bed her.
- MARCH 12, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: COURT ISSUES PRELIMINARY DEATH SENTENCE FOR MASSACRE OF FAMILY IN BEHEIRA
The Damanhour Criminal Court has issued a preliminary death sentence against a man convicted of killing a family of four in Beheira Governorate in 2017.
- MARCH 12, 2018ColoradoDEATH PENALTY
USA - Colorado. Greta Lindecrantz has been released.
USA - Colorado. Greta Lindecrantz has been released.
- MARCH 8, 2018IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: IS LEADER'S SISTER SENTENCED TO DEATH AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF TERROR CHARGES
The sister of Islamic State's leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi has been convicted of terrorism charges and sentenced to death.
MARCH 7, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: ALLEGED SERIAL KILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TORTURING, MURDERING WOMAN
An alleged serial killer sentenced to death by a Bangladesh court on March 7 for torturing and murdering a woman may have claimed at least seven other victims, authorities said.