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 4, 2016MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING AND KILLING A 7 YEAR OLD GIRL
Two Moroccans have been sentenced to death by a court in El Jadida (200km south of Rabat) for having
- MAY 3, 2016FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury voted 11 to 1 to recommend death for the 3rd time for James Guzman
USA - Florida. A jury voted 11 to 1 to recommend death for the 3rd time for James Guzman
APRIL 29, 2016ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: 'VALENTINE'S DAY' KILLER ACQUITTED OF 1998 MURDER
A Chinese man sentenced to death for the Valentine's Day murder of his girlfriend 18 years ago was
APRIL 28, 2016EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 18 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN VARIOUS COURTS OVER MURDER, RAPE, THEFT
A total of 18 people were sentenced to death in various courts over murder, rape and theft, Youm7 reported.
- APRIL 27, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Thre names of the 49 death sentences of 2015
USA - Thre names of the 49 death sentences of 2015
APRIL 21, 2016MauritaniaDEATH PENALTYMAURITANIA: APPEAL COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR 'BLASPHEMOUS' BLOGGER
An appeal court in the west African state of Mauritania has upheld the death sentence of a blogger accused of blasphemy, a judicial source told AFP.
- APRIL 21, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Missouri. Oklahoma. Missouri Execution Drug Supplier Being Sold After Committing 1892 Violations of Pharmacy Regulations.
USA - Missouri. Oklahoma. Missouri Execution Drug Supplier Being Sold After Committing 1892 Violations of Pharmacy Regulations.
APRIL 20, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: DEATH SENTENCE FOR SHARJAH SUPERMARKET MURDERER
A supermarket worker who killed a payroll manager in a row over wages has been sentenced to death in the UAE.
APRIL 18, 2016Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: HAMAS SENTENCES 5 MEN TO DEATH FOR GIVING ISRAEL INFORMATION
A Gazan military court sentenced five men to death, charging them with being informants for Israel.
APRIL 15, 2016PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: PRESIDENT TURNED DOWN 513 MERCY PETITIONS OVER LAST FIVE YEARS
The Pakistani president rejected as many as 513 mercy petitions of condemned prisoners over the last five
- APRIL 13, 2016Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTY
EU DENOUNCES LATEST DEATH SENTENCE ISSUED IN GAZA
The European Union Missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah condemned the latest death sentence issued in the Gaza Strip.
- APRIL 12, 2016FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury has recommended the death penalty for Vahtiece Kirkman
USA - Florida. A jury has recommended the death penalty for Vahtiece Kirkman
APRIL 6, 2016KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: KERUGOYA COURT SENTENCES TWO ORPHANS TO HANG FOR STEALING CELLPHONE
Two orphans have been sentenced to death by a Kerugoya court after they were convicted of robbery with
APRIL 6, 2016SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: 22 SOUTH SUDANESE SENTENCED TO DEATH
An anti-terrorism court in Khartoum sentenced 22 South Sudanese nationals to death and three others to life in prison for belonging to a militant group in Darfur.
- APRIL 5, 2016OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. A jury recommended that James Tench, 30, White, receive the death penalty
USA - Ohio. A jury recommended that James Tench, 30, White, receive the death penalty
- APRIL 5, 2016North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - North Carolina. A jury sentenced Antwan Anthony to death.
USA - North Carolina. A jury sentenced Antwan Anthony to death.
APRIL 1, 2016ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MASS NURSING HOME KILLING
A man who attacked a nursing home, killing nine people and injuring nine others in 2015, was sentenced to
APRIL 1, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ANOTHER JUVENILE OFFENDER IN SANANDAJ PRISON SENTENCED TO DEATH
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a juvenile offender (K.N) imprisoned at Sanandaj Prison, who at the time of crime was 17 years and 9 months old, was sentenced to death by retaliation in kind (Qisas) for murder.
- MARCH 31, 2016KansasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Kansas. A jury recommends death penalty for Kyle Flack
USA - Kansas. A jury recommends death penalty for Kyle Flack
- MARCH 31, 2016OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. David Steffen resentenced to life in prison.
USA - Ohio. David Steffen resentenced to life in prison.
MARCH 31, 2016PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MURDERER GETS DEATH, TERROR CONVICTS JAIL SENTENCES
Courts in Karachi handed down the death sentence to a murder convict and a 14-year jail term to two terror convicts.
- MARCH 31, 2016EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: 4 SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER CASE IN SHARQIYA
A criminal court in Sharqiya sentenced four persons to death over murdering an engineer.
MARCH 31, 2016BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 3 SIBLINGS TO WALK GALLOWS FOR KILLING BCL MAN IN BOGRA
A Bogra court sentenced three brothers to death and three people, including two siblings, to life
MARCH 30, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: 829 SENTENCED TO DEATH SINCE 2010
Of the 829 prisoners convicted and sentenced to death between 2010 and 2016, Deputy Prime Minister
- MARCH 30, 2016IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR TWO MURDERS IN TAMIL NADU
A court in Tamil Nadu awarded the death sentence to a man for murdering two women over a land dispute in Anamalai in the district four years ago.
MARCH 29, 2016LebanonDEATH PENALTYLEBANON: THREE MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERS
Two Sri Lankans illegally residing in Lebanon and a Lebanese man were sentenced to death for killing two
- MARCH 28, 2016MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: VIETNAMESE MOM ESCAPES GALLOWS, JAILED 20 YEARS FOR DRUG POSSESSION INSTEAD
A Vietnamese woman shed tears of joy in court after she was spared the gallows in Malaysia for allegedly
MARCH 26, 2016SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: EX-SHABAB MEDIA OFFICER SENTENCED TO DEATH PENALTY
The High Military Court of Somalia sentenced Ex-Shabab media officer, Hassan Hanafi to a death penalty
- MARCH 25, 2016JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN EXECUTES TWO MURDERERS RESPONSIBLE FOR SEVEN DEATHS
A convicted serial killer and the mastermind of a murder-for-insurance scheme were executed on March 25, bringing to four the number of inmates hanged since Justice Minister Mitsuhide Iwaki took office in October.
MARCH 24, 2016VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING 2 AT BEER CLUB
A court in the southern province of Kien Giang handed down a death sentence to a local man for killing two