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
- OCTOBER 31, 2016NevadaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nevada. A jury sentenced Will Sitton to death
USA - Nevada. A jury sentenced Will Sitton to death
OCTOBER 28, 2016KazakhstanDEATH PENALTYKAZAKHSTAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ISLAMIC EXTREMIST ATTACK
A court in the Central Asian nation of Kazakhstan sentenced a man to death for killing 10 people in an
- OCTOBER 27, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Studies: Death Penalty Adversely Affects Families of Victims and Defendants
USA - Studies: Death Penalty Adversely Affects Families of Victims and Defendants
- OCTOBER 27, 2016TanzaniaDEATH PENALTY
the High Court in Bukoba Region sentenced to death two men, Lameck Bazil and Pankras Minago. They were charged with killing a PWA, Magdalena Andea in September 2008.
the High Court in Bukoba Region sentenced to death two men, Lameck Bazil and Pankras Minago. They were charged with killing a PWA, Magdalena Andea in September 2008.
- OCTOBER 27, 2016AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Judge Brad Mendheim sentenced Justice Knight to death
USA - Alabama. Judge Brad Mendheim sentenced Justice Knight to death
OCTOBER 27, 2016DEATH PENALTYUSA: DEATH PENALTY ADVERSELY AFFECTS FAMILIES OF VICTIMS AND DEFENDANTS
The death penalty adversely affects both families of murder victims and families of the accused, according to two recent journal articles.
- OCTOBER 27, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: INDIAN BEAUTICIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING DRUGS
An Indian beautician has been sentenced to death in Malaysia for trafficking drugs, The Star reported.
OCTOBER 27, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: PRESIDENTIAL 'GOODWILL AMNESTY' FOR CONVICTED SPLM-N REBELS
Sudan's President Omar Al Bashir has issued a decision to drop the remaining sentences against the
OCTOBER 25, 2016PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: FATHER IS SENTENCED TO DEATH AFTER MURDERING HIS DAUGHTER BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T BAKE 'PERFECT BREAD'
A father has been sentenced to death in Pakistan after he confessed to killing his daughter because she wasn't able to bake perfect bread.
OCTOBER 25, 2016BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: FIVE GET DEATH SENTENCE OVER HABIGANJ FARMER MURDER
A court in Habiganj sentenced five people to death and 27 others to different terms of imprisonment for
OCTOBER 24, 2016BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: TWO AHSANULLAH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDERING CLASSMATE
A Dhaka court has ordered death sentence for two students of Ah
- OCTOBER 21, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: FILIPINA SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A Filipino woman was sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia for trafficking 2.285kg of
OCTOBER 16, 2016BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: JHALAKATHI JUDGE KILLER JMB MAN EXECUTED
JMB member Asadul Islam Arif, who was given death penalty in Jhalakathi judges Jagannath Pare and Sohel Ahmed killing case, has been hanged in Khulna district jail.
OCTOBER 16, 2016Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: PALESTINIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 2011 MURDER
A court in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip has sentenced a man to death and his female accomplice
- OCTOBER 14, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: 24-YEAR-OLD THAI BAR GIRL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING IN KL
A former bar worker in Thailand has been sentenced to death by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur after she
- OCTOBER 13, 2016AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. A jury made a recommendation of death for Justice Knight
USA - Alabama. A jury made a recommendation of death for Justice Knight
OCTOBER 13, 2016Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: WOMAN KILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The North Central Province High Court Judge, Manjula Thilakaratne, handed down the death sentence to a
- OCTOBER 11, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: FOREIGN DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The High Court in Kuching (Malaysia) sentenced an Indonesian
OCTOBER 11, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 22-YEAR-OLD IRANIAN KURDISH WOMAN FACES IMMINENT EXECUTION AFTER GROSSLY UNFAIR TRIAL
The Iranian authorities must urgently halt their plans to execute Zeinab Sekaanvand, a 22-year-old Iranian-
- OCTOBER 10, 2016KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: WOMAN WHO SOLD TOXIC DRINK THAT CAUSED DEATH OF 8 SENTENCED TO HANG
A woman who was charged with selling illicit liquor that caused the death of eight people in Ruiru, five years ago has been sentenced to death.
OCTOBER 9, 2016ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: CORRUPT YUNNAN PARTY BOSS SENTENCED TO DEATH WITH REPRIEVE
China has sentenced the former Communist Party boss from the southwestern province of Yunnan to death
OCTOBER 7, 2016IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 5 OF FAMILY AWARDED DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING 4 PERSONS
A man and his four sons were awarded capital punishment by a court in Pali district of Rajasthan for killing
OCTOBER 5, 2016Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING
A court in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip sentenced a Palestinian
- OCTOBER 4, 2016BelarusDEATH PENALTY
BELARUS: SUPREME COURT CONFIRMS ANOTHER DEATH SENTENCE
the Supreme Court upheld the death verdict handed down to 33-year-old Siarhei Vostrykau in May. This is the third death penalty in Belarus this year.
OCTOBER 4, 2016EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: CRIMINAL COURT GIVES PRELIMINARY DEATH SENTENCE TO TWO PEOPLE FOR JOINING 'MILITANT ORGANIZATION'
A Cairo criminal court issued a preliminary death sentence to two people for "joining a militant organization"
- OCTOBER 3, 2016TunisiaDEATH PENALTY
TUNISIA: 31 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ATTACK ON MINISTER
A Tunisian court has handed 31 people death sentences over a 2014 attack on the home of then interior minister Lotfi Ben Jeddou, a judiciary spokesman said.
OCTOBER 3, 2016KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE IN NAIVASHA
Two men were sentenced to death in Naivasha after being found guilty of robbery with violence.
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2016CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge Robert J. Perry sentenced Michael Thomas to death
USA - California. Judge Robert J. Perry sentenced Michael Thomas to death
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2016IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER GANG RAPE
The leader of an Indonesian gang who murdered and gang-raped a schoolgirl was sentenced to death.
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2016AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. A jury sentenced Saraya Atkins to death
USA - Alabama. A jury sentenced Saraya Atkins to death