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
- MAY 16, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE LANDS MAN DEATH SENTENCE
A Nakuru court sentenced to death 29-year-old man for robbing his neighbour Sh350 while armed with dangerous weapons.
- MAY 16, 2017AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. The House passed SB 187 to cut down on the time that death row inmates can appeal their sentence.
USA - Alabama. The House passed SB 187 to cut down on the time that death row inmates can appeal their sentence.
MAY 16, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MAN TO WALK GALLOWS FOR KILLING WIFE
A court in Lakshmipur sentenced a man to death for killing his wife five years back, reports BSS.
MAY 14, 2017MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TRADER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A trader was sentenced to death by the High Court in Muar after he was found guilty of trafficking in cannabis in March last year.
- MAY 9, 2017AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. The House Judiciary Committee approved SB 187 to shorten the time for appellate review
USA - Alabama. The House Judiciary Committee approved SB 187 to shorten the time for appellate review
- MAY 8, 2017Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
One sentenced to death, died in prison
8 May 2017: Colonel Charles Alamba Mungako, sentenced to death in 2004 for his alleged participation in an assassination, died in a prison in Kinshasa.
- MAY 8, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Joseph Colone Jr. to death
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Joseph Colone Jr. to death
- MAY 8, 2017NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES MINOR TO DEATH IN KOGI
A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja sentenced a 15-year-old cattle rearer, Haruna Usman, to death for culpable homicide.
MAY 8, 2017TanzaniaDEATH PENALTYTANZANIA: 74 YEAR OLD MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER
Mbeya Zone High Court has sentenced four men to death, including an old man,74, after they were convicted of murder.
- MAY 7, 2017MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING EX-FIANCE IN KLUANG
A former tyre shop assistant was sentenced to death by the High Court in Muar for murdering his ex-fiance when the woman wanted to marry another man.
MAY 5, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: YOUNG MAN WALKS FREE FROM DEATH ROW
Salar Shadizadi, who was sentenced to death for a crime he committed when a child, was released after 10 years from Rasht prison in northern Iran.
- MAY 5, 2017ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. A jury sentenced Preston Strong to death
USA - Arizona. A jury sentenced Preston Strong to death
- MAY 4, 2017MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: SINGAPOREAN GETS DEATH FOR DISTRIBUTING DRUGS IN JOHOR
A 46-year-old Singaporean contractor was sentenced to death by the High Court in Johor Baru after he was found guilty of two counts of drug distribution.
- MAY 3, 2017EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: CAIRO COURT EXONERATES MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN POST-MORSI VIOLENCE CASE
A Cairo criminal court has exonerated a man who had been previously sentenced to death on charges of involvement in deadly clashes in Giza's Omraniya district following the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
MAY 1, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AT LEAST 90 PEOPLE ON DEATH ROW AGED UNDER 18, SAY UN EXPERTS
At least 90 people on death row in Iran are under the age of 18, says a group of UN experts who are calling for authorities in the Middle Eastern nation to immediately put an end to the execution of those aged who were under 18 at the time of sentencing.
- APRIL 30, 2017QatarDEATH PENALTY
Qatar upholds rare death sentence in UK teacher's murder
30 April 2017: a Doha court upheld the death penalty in the retrial of a Qatari man convicted of murdering a 24-year-old British female teacher on Sunday, in a killing that has gripped the Gulf country.
- APRIL 29, 2017FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury is recommending the death sentence for Benjamin Davis Smiley Jr.
USA - Florida. A jury is recommending the death sentence for Benjamin Davis Smiley Jr.
- APRIL 26, 2017PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Eric Frein to death
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Eric Frein to death
- APRIL 25, 2017Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Ahmad Al Shamri’s appeal denied, sentenced to death for atheism
25 April 2017: Ahmad Al Shamri, a young man in his early 20’s from the city of Hafr Al Batin has been sentenced to death after his appeal was denied by Saudi Appeals and Supreme Courts.
APRIL 25, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: FOUR TTP TERRORISTS SENTENCED BY MILITARY COURTS HANGED
Four terrorists, who were involved in committing heinous offences relating to terrorism were executed at a jail in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to an ISPR press release.
- APRIL 19, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
Two Razakars from Kishoreganj were sentenced to death for committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
19 April 2017: Syed Mohammad Hussain alias Hossain, 64, and Muhammad Moslem Pradhan, 66 have been condemned to death for war crimes.
- APRIL 18, 2017FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Florida House unanimously apologizes to families of "Groveland Four"
USA - Florida. Florida House unanimously apologizes to families of "Groveland Four"
- APRIL 18, 2017AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. The Senate passed SB 187 aimed at shortening the time of death penalty appeals
USA - Alabama. The Senate passed SB 187 aimed at shortening the time of death penalty appeals
APRIL 17, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: LHC UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE OF CONVICT
A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) upheld the death sentence of a convict, Moavia, and reduced the capital punishment of another, Abdullah, to life-imprisonment over allegedly killing 94 people and leaving over 150 men and children injured du
APRIL 16, 2017MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: HOTEL MANAGER GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A hotel manager was sent to the gallows by the Magistrate’s Court in Muar after he found guilty of trafficking 82.38 gm of heroin last year.
- APRIL 15, 2017ArkansasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arkansas. Federal judge temporarily blocks Arkansas plan for successive executions.
USA - Arkansas. Federal judge temporarily blocks Arkansas plan for successive executions.
- APRIL 14, 2017DEATH PENALTY
ARKANSAS (USA): PHARMA FIRMS TRY TO STOP USE OF THEIR PRODUCTS IN ARKANSAS EXECUTIONS
Arkansas plans to execute a record number of inmates this month but drug firms don't want their products used for the deaths.
- APRIL 14, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arkansas. Pharma firms try to stop use of their products in Arkansas executions.
USA - Arkansas. Pharma firms try to stop use of their products in Arkansas executions.
- APRIL 13, 2017YemenDEATH PENALTY
a court in rebel-held Sana’a sentenced to death journalist Yahya Al Jubaihi, who has been de
a court in rebel-held Sana’a sentenced to death journalist Yahya Al Jubaihi, who has been de
- APRIL 13, 2017MissouriDEATH PENALTY
USA - Missouri. Death penalty overturned for third time for Carman Deck
USA - Missouri. Death penalty overturned for third time for Carman Deck