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 10, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR RAPE AND MURDER IN MADHYA PRADESH
A court in Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh awarded capital punishment to a man for raping a woman,
FEBRUARY 10, 2017Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTYMYANMAR: ROHINGYA MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAID ON POLICE POST
Myanmar's authorities sentenced a Rohingya man to death for leading raids on police border posts that sparked a deadly military crackdown in Rakhine State.
- FEBRUARY 9, 2017VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM TO BUILD FIVE MORE LETHAL INJECTION VENUES
Five more venues to facilitate lethal injections will be built in Vietnam in the coming time according to the Ministry of Public Security.
- FEBRUARY 9, 2017DEATH PENALTY
PENNSYLVANIA (USA): FEDERAL APPEALS COURT BARS AUTOMATIC SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR FORMER DEATH ROW PRISONERS
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit declared unconstitutional Pennsylvania's long-standing
- FEBRUARY 7, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 6 TO WALK GALLOWS FOR KILLING VAN-PULLER IN KUSHTIA
A Kushtia court handed over death sentence to 6 accused in a case filed over killing a van-puller named
FEBRUARY 7, 2017ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: AUSTRALIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH
Australian man Antonio Bagnato has been found guilty and sentenced to death by a Thai court for his role in
FEBRUARY 5, 2017KuwaitDEATH PENALTYKUWAIT: CITIZEN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING SPOUSE
The Criminal Court issued a death sentence against a Kuwaiti citizen who is accused of murdering his wife
- FEBRUARY 3, 2017MassachusettsDEATH PENALTY
USA - US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin Formally Sentenced Gary Lee Sampson to Death.
USA - US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin Formally Sentenced Gary Lee Sampson to Death.
- FEBRUARY 3, 2017MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: TWO FRIENDS SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Two friends were sentenced to death by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur for drug trafficking.
- FEBRUARY 3, 2017CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge Patrick H. Donahue sentenced Steven Dean Gordon to death.
USA - California. Judge Patrick H. Donahue sentenced Steven Dean Gordon to death.
- FEBRUARY 2, 2017CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Heraclio Meza was sentenced to death
USA - California. Heraclio Meza was sentenced to death
- FEBRUARY 1, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTY
Darfur Crimes Special Court in Ad Diein, Nyala Issue Death Sentence for Two Convicts
February 2017: according to Sudan Vision, two were sentenced to death also for terrorism
FEBRUARY 1, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: MAN TO HANG FOR BURNING WIFE TO DEATH IN NAIROBI
A man who doused his wife with paraffin before setting her ablaze has been sentenced to death in Kenya.
- JANUARY 31, 2017IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: SYRIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR FINANCING ISLAMIC STATE
Iraq’s judiciary sentenced a Syrian national to death, finding him guilty of financing Islamic State militants.
JANUARY 30, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: TWO GET DEATH, 12 GET LIFE OVER BARGUNA FISHERMEN MURDERS
A Barguna court awarded death sentence to two accused in a case filed over the murder of two fishermen by drowning in the district. The court also gave life imprisonment to 12 others.
- JANUARY 30, 2017CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge Joseph Kalashian sentenced Christopher Cheary to death.
USA - California. Judge Joseph Kalashian sentenced Christopher Cheary to death.
- JANUARY 26, 2017MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN SENT TO GALLOWS OVER DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE
A man was sent to the gallows by the High Court in Ipoh after he was found guilty of trafficking in drugs.
- JANUARY 25, 2017MississippiDEATH PENALTY
USA - Mississippi. Judge Lisa Dodson has sentenced Alberto Julio Garcia to death
USA - Mississippi. Judge Lisa Dodson has sentenced Alberto Julio Garcia to death
- JANUARY 25, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 4 GET DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING RANGPUR BUSINESSMAN
A Rangpur court sentenced four people to death and another one to three years’ imprisonment over the
- JANUARY 24, 2017Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTY
GAZA: TWO NEW DEATH SENTENCES
two new death sentences by hanging were issued in the Gaza Strip.
JANUARY 24, 2017AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: TWO EMPLOYEES OF DEFENSE MINISTRY SENTENCED TO DEATH
Two employees of Afghan defense ministry who were charged with various crimes, were sentenced to death, officials said.
JANUARY 21, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: BANGAON COURT GIVES DEATH SENTENCES TO 3 TERRORISTS
Three Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operatives were sentenced to death by a Bengal court.
- JANUARY 19, 2017DEATH PENALTY
DELAWARE (USA): ISAIAH MCCOY EXONERATED FROM DEATH ROW
Isaiah McCoy, 29, Black, a former Delaware death row inmate, was exonerated on January 19, 2017, when Kent County Superior Court Judge Robert B. Young acquitted him at a retrial.
- JANUARY 19, 2017DEATH PENALTY
TEXAS (USA): ALL CHARGES AGAINST JERRY HARTFIELD DISMISSED
The Texas Court of Appeals for the 13th District, an intermediate state appellate court, has dismissed all
- JANUARY 19, 2017DelawareDEATH PENALTY
USA - Delaware. Isaiah McCoy Exonerated from Death Row.
USA - Delaware. Isaiah McCoy Exonerated from Death Row.
- JANUARY 19, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: 3 YOUTHS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN HARYANA FOR GANGRAPE, MURDER OF 9-YEAR-OLD
Three youths were sentenced to death by a fast-track court in Haryana for the gang rape and killing of a
- JANUARY 19, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. All charges dismissed against Jerry Hartfield, a former death row prisoner.
USA - Texas. All charges dismissed against Jerry Hartfield, a former death row prisoner.
- JANUARY 18, 2017TunisiaDEATH PENALTY
the Tunis Criminal Chamber of first instance against Terrorism sentenced 20 people to death for terrorism, including the dangerous terrorist Atef Hannechi. The convicts are all wanted.
the Tunis Criminal Chamber of first instance against Terrorism sentenced 20 people to death for terrorism, including the dangerous terrorist Atef Hannechi. The convicts are all wanted.
- JANUARY 18, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: THAKURGAON MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING FATHER
A man in Thakurgaon has been given a death sentence after he was found guilty of murdering his father.
- JANUARY 17, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - President Obama Commutes Death Sentences of Abelardo Arboleda Ortiz and Dwight Loving
USA - President Obama Commutes Death Sentences of Abelardo Arboleda Ortiz and Dwight Loving