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
FEBRUARY 13, 2018DEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men have been sentenced to death recently in Malaysia for drug trafficking.
- FEBRUARY 12, 2018South SudanDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH SUDAN SENTENCES REBEL LEADER'S SPOKESMAN TO DEATH
A spokesman for South Sudanese rebel leader Riek Machar was sentenced to death on charges of treason and incitement against the government.
- FEBRUARY 8, 2018AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. A jury today recommended Benjamin Young be put to death
USA - Alabama. A jury today recommended Benjamin Young be put to death
FEBRUARY 6, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: ONE DEATH SENTENCE OVER OCT. 2017 MOGADISHU ATTACK
A military court in the Somalia capital Mogadishu has sentenced a man to death for his role in the suicide bomb attacks in October 2017.
- FEBRUARY 4, 2018FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Jalal Harb ordered a new sentencing hearing for Mark Anthony Poole because his death sentence was not unanimous.
USA - Florida. Judge Jalal Harb ordered a new sentencing hearing for Mark Anthony Poole because his death sentence was not unanimous.
FEBRUARY 2, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MURDERER GETS DEATH SENTENCE
A Kasur court sentenced a man to death for strangling his wife.
- FEBRUARY 1, 2018KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
KUWAIT: MOTHER, BOYFRIEND SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING SPECIAL-NEEDS DAUGHTER
A court in Kuwait has sentenced a Kuwaiti mother and her boyfriend to death after they were found guilty of killing her special-needs daughter to get rid of her.
- JANUARY 31, 2018UgandaDEATH PENALTY
TANZANIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO DEATH BY UGANDAN COURT OVER MURDER
The High Court in Luweero District sentenced to death a 35-year-old Tanzanian national for murdering a fellow casual labourer at a farm in Wakyato Sub County, Nakaseke District.
JANUARY 31, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: 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 30, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: KARIM ZARGAR, THE HEAD OF A SPIRITUAL INSTITUTION, WAS HANGED
Karim Zargar, the former general manager of IRIB's international section, Iran TV's channel one broadcast manager, head of the Faculty of Radio and Television, and owner and managing director of Film Reports magazine (Gozaresh-e-Film), was hanged at Rajai
JANUARY 29, 2018DEATH PENALTYUSA: 53,290 PEOPLE SERVING LWOP SENTENCES
According to a study by the Sentencing Project (Still Life: America’s Increasing Use of Life and Long-Term Sentences, May 03, 2017), there are 53,290 people serving LWOP sentences as of 2016.
- JANUARY 29, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - There are 53,290 people serving LWOP sentences as of 2016.
USA - There are 53,290 people serving LWOP sentences as of 2016.
- JANUARY 28, 2018FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE ‘WILL INTERVENE’ IF JIHADIST NATIONALS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN MIDDLE EAST
France said it “will intervene” if its nationals are sentenced to death in Iraq or Syria for belonging to jihadist groups.
- JANUARY 26, 2018AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. The US Supreme Court has granted a stay of execution for Vernon Madison
USA - Alabama. The US Supreme Court has granted a stay of execution for Vernon Madison
- JANUARY 25, 2018MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: LORRY DRIVER TO HANG FOR TRAFFICKING OVER 45KG OF DRUGS
A lorry driver was sent to the gallows by the High Court after being found guilty of counts of trafficking over 45 kg of drugs, 2 years ago.
- JANUARY 24, 2018FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Supreme Court Denies New Sentencing Hearings to More than Thirty Death Row Prisoners
USA - Florida. Supreme Court Denies New Sentencing Hearings to More than Thirty Death Row Prisoners
JANUARY 24, 2018LebanonDEATH PENALTYLEBANON: MILITARY TRIBUNAL ISSUES DEATH PENALTY OVER SOLDIERS DEATHS
The Military Tribunal issued the death penalty for two men found guilty of involvement in the beheading of two Lebanese soldiers.
JANUARY 23, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO CONVICTS HANGED IN HARIPUR CENTRAL JAIL
Two convicted prisoners of death sentence were hanged in Haripur Central Jail in the morning.
- JANUARY 22, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Beni: one condemned to death
22 January 2018: the military Court of North Kivu sentenced to death Yusuf Dongo Amala
JANUARY 19, 2018JordanDEATH PENALTYJORDAN: TWO BROTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING PREGNANT SISTER IN NAME OF ‘FAMILY HONOUR’
The Criminal Court sentenced two brothers to death after convicting them of the premeditated murder of their pregnant sister and her husband’s other wife at a farm in Balqa Governorate in November 2014.
- JANUARY 18, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTY
according to Human Right Watch 2018 Report: “Since July 2013, Egyptian criminal courts have sentenced over 800
according to Human Right Watch 2018 Report: “Since July 2013, Egyptian criminal courts have sentenced over 800
- JANUARY 18, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
Beni: 6 condemned to death
18 January 2018: the operational military Court of North Kivu had delivered two judgments in the cases under PR: 197/2017 and 209/2017 and senteced to death six.
- JANUARY 16, 2018MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
Morocco: the murderer of a deputy sentenced to death
16 January 2018: A local Moroccan politician was sentenced to death
JANUARY 15, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDERING MINOR GIRL
The Ernakulam district court sentenced a man to death for murdering a four-year-old girl at Chottanikkara in 2013.
JANUARY 14, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 9 TO WALK GALLOWS FOR KILLING NARAIL AL MAN
A special tribunal in Khulna sentenced nine people including a Union Parishad chairman to death for killing Awami League activist Probhas Roy in Narail last year.
- JANUARY 14, 2018JordanDEATH PENALTY
JORDAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF MADABA TAXI DRIVER
The Criminal Court sentenced a 24-year-old man to death after convicting him of robbing and murdering a taxi driver in Madaba in June 2012.
- JANUARY 13, 2018Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DR CONGO: REBEL LEADER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The military court in the troubled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced a rebel leader to death.
- JANUARY 12, 2018ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has overturned the death sentence imposed on Robert Allen Poyson
USA - Arizona. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has overturned the death sentence imposed on Robert Allen Poyson
JANUARY 12, 2018ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: MURDERER SENTENCED TO DEATH AFTER 8 YEARS AT LARGE
A court in east China's Jiangxi Province sentenced a man to death for killing a 17-year-old girl and raping her body eight years ago.
JANUARY 11, 2018NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: KILLERS OF KACHIKWU’S UNCLE SENTENCED TO DEATH
The killers of Diokpa Felix Boise, the 75- year- old uncle of Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu have been sentenced to death by a Delta State High Court.