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 8, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTY
Kenya: Mechanic sentenced to death for robbing woman 3 phones worth Sh21,000
8 March 2017: a 22-year-old mechanic was sentenced to death by a Kibera court for robbing a woman at her house in Kaberia, Riruta.
- MARCH 7, 2017DEATH PENALTY
TEXAS (USA): ROLANDO RUIZ EXECUTED
Rolando Ruiz, 44, Hispanic, was executed Tuesday night.
- MARCH 7, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Rolando Ruiz, 44, Hispanic, was executed
USA - Texas. Rolando Ruiz, 44, Hispanic, was executed
MARCH 3, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MOMBASA MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER GIRL'S RAPE, MURDER
The Court of Appeal confirmed the death sentence imposed on a chef by the Mombasa High Court on
MARCH 3, 2017TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN NEW TAIPEI FIRE
The New Taipei City District Court handed the death sentence to a man accused of committing arson last year, killing six people in an old apartment building.
- MARCH 1, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA SENTENCED TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE TO DEATH IN 2016 THAN IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR
Sessions courts handed down nearly twice as many death sentences in 2016 as compared to 2015,
- MARCH 1, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced John Ray Falk Jr. to death
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced John Ray Falk Jr. to death
- FEBRUARY 28, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTANI COURT FREES MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY
A Pakistani court freed an Islamic preacher who was sentenced to death four years ago on charges of blasphemy, a defense lawyer said.
- FEBRUARY 28, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
Bangladesh: 5 Islamist militants sentenced to death for killing Japanese researcher
28 February 2017: five members of a banned militant group were sentenced to death by a Bangladesh court Tuesday for involvement in the slaying of a Japanese agricultural researcher two years ago.
- FEBRUARY 27, 2017AlgeriaDEATH PENALTY
ALGERIA: KILLER OF NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF SENTENCED TO DEATH
A former Algerian police colonel was sentenced to death for gunning down the national police chief Ali Tounsi during an office meeting in 2010, national news agency APS said.
- FEBRUARY 27, 2017NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: LAWYER FADIPE’S KILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, has sentenced Oluwaseun Oladapo to death by hanging for the murder of Mr. Kunle Fadipe, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer.
- FEBRUARY 27, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Supreme Court snubs challenge to death penalty constitutionality.
USA - Supreme Court snubs challenge to death penalty constitutionality.
FEBRUARY 27, 2017DEATH PENALTYUSA: SUPREME COURT SNUBS CHALLENGE TO DEATH PENALTY CONSTITUTIONALITY
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a direct challenge to the constitutionality of the death penalty as
FEBRUARY 25, 2017AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY APPEAL COURT IN KABUL
The Kabul appeal court sentenced a man to death who was found guilty of killing his pregnant wife seven
- FEBRUARY 23, 2017NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR KILLING WIFE
A Lagos High Court in Ikeja sentenced a man, Sulaiman Olalekan, to death by hanging for the murder of his
- FEBRUARY 22, 2017United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: TEENAGER GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR STABBING MAN TO DEATH IN ROW OVER FOOTBALL
A 19-year-old Pakistani student was handed the death penalty for stabbing to death a countryman in a row over a football match.
FEBRUARY 21, 2017LibyaDEATH PENALTYUN: SAIF AL-ISLAM GADDAFI MUST BE HURLED BEFORE ICC
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights chief says the trial Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of former Libyan
- FEBRUARY 21, 2017OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. Andre Jackson, 50, Black, sentenced to death
USA - Ohio. Andre Jackson, 50, Black, sentenced to death
FEBRUARY 19, 2017Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: HAMAS CONDEMNS 6 ‘INFORMANTS FOR ISRAEL’ TO DEATH BY HANGING
Six Gazans were condemned to be hanged over charges they informed for Israel, two Hamas-run military courts ruled.
FEBRUARY 19, 2017MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: LORRY ATTENDANT SENT TO GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A lorry attendant was sentenced to death by the Muar High Court after he was found guilty of drug trafficking at Taman Puteri, Kluang last year.
- FEBRUARY 17, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: CHILD RAPIST SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Sudanese court has sentenced a defendant to death after he was found guilty of raping a two-year-old girl to death last year.
FEBRUARY 17, 2017Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: 5 SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER 1995 MURDER
The Kandy High Court sentenced to death five persons found guilty of a murder in 1995.
- FEBRUARY 15, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF DALIT
27 years after a Dalit man was burnt alive by some upper caste men in Hathras, in the Indian state of Uttar
FEBRUARY 15, 2017DEATH PENALTYIRAN: 15 PRISONERS EXECUTED
Iran Human Rights has received reports of 15 executions in Iran.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2017TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN COMMUTES SENTENCE FOR 2 PINOYS ON DEATH ROW
Taiwan’s Supreme Court has commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence of two Filipinos convicted of murder, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) said.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2017BruneiDEATH PENALTY
Malaysian national was sentenced for drug trafficking
13 February 2017: Malaysian national was sentenced for drug trafficking.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2017United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: SHARJAH COURT ORDERS DEATH SENTENCE TO PAKISTANI FOR KILLING WIFE
A Pakistani husband who killed his wife in Sharjah last year has been granted death sentence by the Sharjah Court.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
PUNTLAND: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES 7 HARAKAT SHEBAB OPERATIVES TO DEATH
Somalia’s Puntland military court has sentenced seven Harakat Shebab operatives also known as Al-Shabaab to death penalty.
FEBRUARY 13, 2017NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE 5 YEARS AFTER HACKING ANOTHER TO DEATH
A Lagos State High Court presided over by Justice Raliat Adebiyi, sentenced a man, Anuoluwapo Samuel, to death for murder.
- FEBRUARY 11, 2017NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: ABUJA HIGH COURT SENTENCES RANDY SOLDIER TO DEATH
A soldier has been sentenced to death by an Abuja High Court which found him guilty of rape and culpable homicide.