Death sentences
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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
DECEMBER 23, 2016ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: MPOMBO’S SON SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
The Ndola High Court has found former minister of Defence George Mpombo’s 17-year-old son guilty of shooting dead his pregnant girlfriend and beheading her.
- DECEMBER 22, 2016DEATH PENALTY
PENNSYLVANIA (USA): FIRST-DEGREE MURDER CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST TWO FORMER PENNSYLVANIA DEATH ROW PRISONERS WITH INNOCENCE CLAIMS
Two former Pennsylvania death row prisoners who have asserted their innocence for decades, Tyrone Moore and James Dennis, pled no contest to lesser charges.
DECEMBER 22, 2016IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING AND MURDERING MINOR
A Sessions Court in Andhra Pradesh State sentenced a 30-year-old man to death for rape and murder of a three-year-old girl.
- DECEMBER 22, 2016PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. Two former Pennsylvania death row prisoners, Tyrone Moore and James Dennis, pled no contest to lesser charges.
USA - Pennsylvania. Two former Pennsylvania death row prisoners, Tyrone Moore and James Dennis, pled no contest to lesser charges.
DECEMBER 20, 2016JordanDEATH PENALTYJORDAN: SECURITY COURT HANDS DOWN DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLER OF SLAIN WRITER NAHED HATTAR
Jordan's Deputy Director General of the State Security Court sentenced the killer of writer Nahed Hattar to death by hanging, al-Ghad newspaper reported.
- DECEMBER 19, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DEATH ROW EMIRATI CONVICT WALKS FREE AFTER 14 YEARS
After languishing in jail for 14 years, waiting for a death penalty, an Emirati walked free recently as the court
DECEMBER 19, 2016IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: YASIN BHATKAL, 4 OTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 2013 HYDERABAD BLASTS
An NIA court sentenced to death banned terror outfit Indian Mujahideen founder Yasin Bhatkal and four
- DECEMBER 16, 2016DEATH PENALTY
USA - Nevada. A jury sentenced Norman Belcher to death
USA - Nevada. A jury sentenced Norman Belcher to death
- DECEMBER 15, 2016DEATH PENALTY
DELAWARE (USA): SUPREME COURT RE-SENTENCES ENTIRE DEATH ROW TO LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
The Delaware Supreme Court has ruled that everyone on death row in the state will be re-sentenced to life without parole. The case is Powell v. State.
DECEMBER 15, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: BUSINESSMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DISTRIBUTING METH
A businessman was sentenced to death by the High Court in Johor Baru after he was found guilty of drug distribution.
DECEMBER 15, 2016EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: PROMINENT ISLAMIST MILITANT HABARA EXECUTED AMID THREATS OF RETALIATION
Egypt executed prominent Islamist fighter Adel Habara, state media said, days after a top court rejected his final appeal and in defiance of militant threats to ignite "a volcano of jihad" across the country.
- DECEMBER 15, 2016DelawareDEATH PENALTY
USA - Delaware. The Supreme Court has ruled that everyone on death row in the state will be re-sentenced to life without parole.
USA - Delaware. The Supreme Court has ruled that everyone on death row in the state will be re-sentenced to life without parole.
- DECEMBER 13, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Michael Dukakis endorses campaign to exonerate Ethel Rosenberg, executed in 1953.
USA - Michael Dukakis endorses campaign to exonerate Ethel Rosenberg, executed in 1953.
DECEMBER 13, 2016DEATH PENALTYUSA: EX-GOVERNOR MICHAEL DUKAKIS ENDORSES CAMPAIGN TO EXONERATE ETHEL ROSENBERG, EXECUTED IN 1953
More than 60 years after the execution of alleged spy Ethel Rosenberg, a former governor of Massachusetts has endorsed a campaign to exonerate her.
- DECEMBER 12, 2016IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: TRIO GETS DEATH FOR 2012 TRIPLE MURDER
Three persons including a most-wanted accused in at least 24 cases - including 16 murders - were
DECEMBER 11, 2016Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: HOUSEMAID GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING GIRL
A court in Jeddah sentenced a housemaid to death for murdering the daughter of her employer and wounding another before trying to kill herself.
- DECEMBER 10, 2016EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: COURT OF CASSATION DISMISSES APPEAL BY MILITANT ADEL HABARA AGAINST DEATH SENTENCE
Egypt's Court of Cassation rejected appeal submitted by militant Adel Habara against his death sentence over involvement in killing 25 soldiers in Rafah in 2013.
- DECEMBER 9, 2016IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA: 3 TAIWANESE SENTENCED TO DEATH ON DRUGS CHARGES
A high court in Indonesia sentenced three Taiwanese citizens to death on drugs charges, reports said.
- DECEMBER 9, 2016PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Tam Minh Le to 2 consecutive death sentences
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Tam Minh Le to 2 consecutive death sentences
DECEMBER 6, 2016Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 15 PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SPYING FOR IRAN
A court in the Saudi capital Riyadh sentenced 15 defendants found guilty of spying for Iran to death.
DECEMBER 5, 2016BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: GAZI IDRIS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR WAR CRIMES
International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) handed death sentence to Idris Ali Sardar alias Gazi Idris of Shariatpur
- DECEMBER 1, 2016FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Supreme Court Overturned the Death Sentence of Paul Beasley Johnson
USA - Florida. Supreme Court Overturned the Death Sentence of Paul Beasley Johnson
- NOVEMBER 30, 2016BelarusDEATH PENALTY
BELARUS: THREE EXECUTIONS FEARED IN AS MANY WEEKS AMID ‘SUDDEN AND SHAMEFUL PURGE’ OF DEATH ROW
As many as three of the four men on death row in the Belarusian capital Minsk have been executed in a shameful purge since 5 November, Amnesty International revealed today after confirming with local activists.
- NOVEMBER 29, 2016MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MALDIVES: HIGH COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE ON TWO MINORS OVER BOBBY’S MURDER
The High Court upheld a death sentence by the Juvenile Court on two minors convicted of the murder of Abdul ‘Bobby’ Muheeth.
- NOVEMBER 29, 2016BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 6 TO WALK GALLOWS FOR KILLING FACTORY WORKER IN NARSINGDI
A Narsingdi court sentenced six people to death for killing an ice factory worker in the district town in 2008.
- NOVEMBER 29, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: ARMY OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE IN SOUTH DARFUR
The South Darfur Special Crimes Court sentenced an army officer to death. After the accused was found
NOVEMBER 28, 2016BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: ANOTHER CONVICT EXECUTED – HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
Death convict Ivan Kulesh has been executed, Andrei Paluda, a coordinator of the campaign Human Rights Defenders against the Death Penalty in Belarus, reports.
NOVEMBER 27, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ANOTHER JUVENILE OFFENDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
Iran Human Rights has obtained information about an 18-year-old juvenile offender detained in Sanandaj
- NOVEMBER 25, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: 18 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN US TEA FIRM CASE
A court in Sri Lanka has given death sentences to 18 men over murdering a US tea company executive in the capital Colombo three years ago, the largest group to be condemned in a single trial in the South Asian country.
NOVEMBER 24, 2016PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO MURDER CONVICTS HANDED DEATH PENALTY
Anti-Terrorism Court in Hyderabad sentenced two persons to death for killing a person in 2015, who had refused to pay them ‘bhatta’.