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
NOVEMBER 9, 2017NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR STEALING HANDBAG, PHONE IN ANAMBRA
The High Court sitting at Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state, has sentenced two to death for stealing a lady’s handbag, telephone and other personal items at gunpoint.
NOVEMBER 9, 2017MauritaniaDEATH PENALTYMAURITANIA: BLOGGER SENTENCED TO DEATH IS RELEASED ON APPEAL
An appeals court in Mauritania has released a blogger who had been sentenced to death for an online post deemed blasphemous by authorities.
NOVEMBER 9, 2017ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MAN WHO BEHEADED WIFE
A Binga man who chopped off his wife’s head and hid it in a cardboard box following domestic dispute, was sentenced to death.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2017DEATH PENALTY
TEXAS (USA): RUBEN RAMIREZ CARDENAS EXECUTED
Ruben Ramirez Cardenas, 47, a Mexican citizen, was executed, despite an adjudication by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that he was entitled to a new trial because of Texas's violation of U.S. treaty obligations under the Vienna Convention f
- NOVEMBER 8, 2017MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
Morocco: a deputy sentenced to death for the murder of four people
8 November 2017: a member of the Party for Authenticity and Modernity (PAM) was sentenced to death by the criminal division of the Court of Appeal of Kénitra.
NOVEMBER 8, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO KURDISH POLITICAL PRISONERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Urmia department of the Islamic Revolutionary Court issued death sentence for Kurdish political prisoners Diyako Resulzade and Sabîr Şêx Ebdullah on alleged charges of “enmity against God” and “membership to Kurdish parties”.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Ruben Ramirez Cardenas, 47, a Mexican citizen, was executed
USA - Texas. Ruben Ramirez Cardenas, 47, a Mexican citizen, was executed
- NOVEMBER 7, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: 3 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN RAJASTHAN FOR KILLING WOMAN, SON AFTER RAPING HER
A special court in Rajasthan’s Kota sentenced three persons to death for raping a 30-year-old woman and killing her along with her minor son during a robbery in December 2012.
- NOVEMBER 5, 2017United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING HIS WIFE
A Gulf national has been given death penalty on charges of beating his 25-year-old Arab wife to death.
- NOVEMBER 4, 2017GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Man sentenced to death in Akwa Ibom for kidnapping
4 November 2017: the Akwa Ibom High Court 2, Abak Division, has sentenced a middle aged man, Robinson Offiong, to death over the kidnap of one Mfon Tim on June 2, 2014 at Itung Abak in Abak area.
- NOVEMBER 4, 2017IdahoDEATH PENALTY
USA - Idaho. A jury has sentenced Jonathan Renfro to death
USA - Idaho. A jury has sentenced Jonathan Renfro to death
NOVEMBER 2, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MURDER CONVICT SENTENCED TO DEATH
A court awarded death sentence to a murder convict for his involvement in a murder case in Sargodha.
NOVEMBER 2, 2017TanzaniaDEATH PENALTYTANZANIA: 34 PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING ALBINOS
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Tanzania announced the death sentence on 34 people accused of killing albinos in the country.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Prosecutors Agree Bobby Moore is Intellectually Disabled, Should Be Resentenced to Life.
USA - Texas. Prosecutors Agree Bobby Moore is Intellectually Disabled, Should Be Resentenced to Life.
- OCTOBER 27, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: 2 FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER 35 YRS AGO SENTENCED TO DEATH
Two persons found guilty of a murder 35 years ago have been sentenced to death by the Kurunegala High Court.
- OCTOBER 25, 2017South SudanDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH SUDAN: SPLA OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A soldier has been sentenced to death and several others convicted of crimes in Juba, according to the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) Spokesperson.
OCTOBER 25, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 9 TO WALK GALLOWS FOR KILLING COLLEGE STUDENT
A court in Gazipur sentenced nine people to death for killing a college student in 2010.
- OCTOBER 24, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: DARFUR TRIBUNAL SENTENCES TWO TO DEATH
Darfur Special Criminal Court (DSCC) in East Darfur state capital, Ed-Daein sentenced two individuals to death on charges of murder and armed robbery.
- OCTOBER 23, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
STOCKHOLM ACADEMIC GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE IN IRAN
Ahmadreza Djalali, a researcher at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute, has been sentenced to death in Iran, according to reports.
- OCTOBER 22, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR WIFE’S MURDER IN CHITTAGONG
A Chittagong court has sentenced a man to death for the murder of his wife.
- OCTOBER 21, 2017LebanonDEATH PENALTY
LEBANON: BASHIR GEMAYEL ASSASSINS GET DEATH SENTENCE IN ABSENTIA FOR 1982 ASSASSINATION
Lebanon's top court sentenced to death at least one Syrian nationalist for the 1982 assassination of President-elect Bashir Gemayel.
- OCTOBER 21, 2017KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
KUWAIT: COURT SENTENCES 2 ASIANS TO DEATH IN TRAFFICKING OF DRUGS
The Criminal Court has sentenced to death by hanging two Asians who were found guilty of trafficking in drugs, reports Al-Anba daily.
- OCTOBER 20, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Papua New Guinea: Death row inmates denied full protection of the law
The Court, presided over by Justice David Cannings, has ordered a stay on any execution of prisoners who have been sentenced to death until their rights under the constitution are fully complied with.
- OCTOBER 20, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDERING NIECE
A court awarded death sentence to a murder convict in Dera Ghazi Khan. The judgment was announced by District and Sessions Judge Chaudhry Munir ahmed.
OCTOBER 19, 2017IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: DRUG COURIER SENTENCED TO DEATH IN JAMBI
The Kuala Tungkal District Court in the Jambi regency of West Tanjungjbung sentenced to death a 30-year-old man found guilty of drug offenses.
- OCTOBER 19, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR ‘HONOUR-DRIVEN’ MURDER
A court awarded capital punishment to a murderer for killing a man two years ago on suspicion he was having an affair with his sister.
- OCTOBER 17, 2017ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND MOVES TOWARDS ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY
As many as 447 convicts are now on death row in Thailand, which is reviewing the use of the death penalty.
- OCTOBER 17, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MULTAN WOMAN HANDED DEATH SENTENCE FOR HUSBAND'S MURDER
An anti-terrorism court in Multan sentenced a woman to death on two counts while also handing her a life imprisonment sentence after finding her guilty of murdering her husband.
OCTOBER 17, 2017JordanDEATH PENALTYJORDAN: MAN WHO RAPED AND KILLED A 7-YEAR-OLD SYRIAN BOY SENTENCED TO DEATH
A 27-year-old man was sentenced to death by the Criminal Court after being convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering a Syrian child in an Amman neighbourhood in July.
OCTOBER 17, 2017IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: KILLERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Jakarta Timur Court sentenced Ridwan Sitorus and Erwin Situmorang to face the firing squad. Ridwan and Erwin killed one family in Pulomas, Jakarta, in their robbery attempt.