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 23, 2015BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MAN TO WALK THE GALLOWS FOR KILLING WIFE
A tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced a man to death for killing his wife in 2008.
- MARCH 20, 2015SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: AL-SHABAAB MILITANTS EXECUTE 'ETHIOPIA SPY'
The Al-Qaeda linked extremist group in Somalia executed a man for allegedly being a spy for the
MARCH 20, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BLASPHEMY
A judge in Pakistan's Lahore District and Sessions court sentenced Liaquat Ali to death for blasphemy.
MARCH 19, 2015ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR ARSONIST OVER LAND DISPUTE
A man has been sentenced to death in east China's Shandong province for setting a fatal fire in a dispute over land rights in March 2014.
- MARCH 19, 2015FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. gave the death penalty to Dwayne Fitzgerald White
USA - Florida. Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. gave the death penalty to Dwayne Fitzgerald White
MARCH 18, 2015BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN RECHYTSA
the Rechytsa District Court sentenced Siarhei Ivanou, 21, to death on charges of murdering and raping a 19-year-old girl on 29 August 2013.
- MARCH 17, 2015KansasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. Nebraska's 3 Catholic bishops are calling for repeal of the death penalty
USA - Nebraska. Nebraska's 3 Catholic bishops are calling for repeal of the death penalty
MARCH 17, 2015DEATH PENALTYUSA: MOST DEATH PENALTY SENTENCES ARE OVERTURNED
“If a person is given a death sentence, what is his or her chance of actually being executed? Based on a
- MARCH 17, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Most death penalty sentences are overturned.
USA - Most death penalty sentences are overturned.
MARCH 16, 2015IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: IN TWO YEARS 236 CONVICTS HANGED
Despite the pressure by the international human right organizations, the Iraqi government continues to execute and hang convicts.
- MARCH 10, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: 3 FREE SYRIAN ARMY MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING COUNTRYMAN
Three Free Syrian Army (FSA) members were sentenced to death in Egypt for murdering a pro-President Bashar al-Assad Syrian refugee in Cairo, Youm7 reported.
MARCH 9, 2015SwedenDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE ON SWEDISH NATIONAL FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya upheld the conviction and death sentence of a Swedish national for trafficking in 4.3 kilogrammes of methamphetamine.
MARCH 9, 2015Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTYMYANMAR: 15 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 2011 GANG MURDER
A Myanmar court has sentenced 15 men to death for stabbing and killing a man outside a busy restaurant in
- MARCH 5, 2015OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oklahoma. A jury sentenced Miles Bench to death.
USA - Oklahoma. A jury sentenced Miles Bench to death.
- MARCH 5, 2015OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oklahoma. A jury sentenced Isaiah Tryon to death
USA - Oklahoma. A jury sentenced Isaiah Tryon to death
MARCH 5, 2015United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: 4 SPARED DEATH PENALTY AFTER VICTIM’S KIN ACCEPT BLOOD MONEY
four Emirati men facing the death penalty for raping, killing and dismembering an Ethiopian maid were bailed
- MARCH 5, 2015ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. Second mistrial: Jodi Arias cannot be sentenced to death
USA - Arizona. Second mistrial: Jodi Arias cannot be sentenced to death
- MARCH 5, 2015AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. A jury recommended the Lisa Graham be sentenced to the death penalty
USA - Alabama. A jury recommended the Lisa Graham be sentenced to the death penalty
- MARCH 3, 2015CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge Thomas Goethals sentenced Iftekhar Murtaza to death
USA - California. Judge Thomas Goethals sentenced Iftekhar Murtaza to death
MARCH 1, 2015IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: DEATH PENALTY IMPOSED ON FIVE CONVICTED OF KIDNAPPING AND KILLING CRIMES
The Central Criminal Court announced it has issued a death sentence against five convicted of kidnapping
MARCH 1, 2015BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 1 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE, MURDER
A Dhaka court has sentenced a man to death in a case filed for raping and murdering his sister-in-law nine
FEBRUARY 28, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: FOUR BROTHERHOOD MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Egyptian court sentenced four members of the banned Muslim Brotherhood organisation to death and
- FEBRUARY 27, 2015FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury unanimously recommended that Zachary Taylor Wood be put to death
USA - Florida. A jury unanimously recommended that Zachary Taylor Wood be put to death
FEBRUARY 26, 2015BahrainDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN: KILLERS OF UAE OFFICER GET DEATH SENTENCE
Three men were sentenced to death by a Bahrain court and seven others were given a life term for killing
FEBRUARY 25, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: SINAI MILITANT HABARA RECEIVES SECOND DEATH SENTENCE
A criminal court has sentenced Sinai Islamist militant Adel Habara and seven other jihadists to death on
- FEBRUARY 25, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: 4 TTP TERRORISTS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN JAIL WARDENS' MURDER CASE
Four terrorists belonging to banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group have been sentenced to
FEBRUARY 24, 2015BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 3 TO WALK TO GALLOWS FOR TOFAZZAL MURDER
A court in Comilla awarded death penalty to three people and life term to five others for murder of Tofazzal
FEBRUARY 24, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: DEATH PENALTY GIVEN TO MAN WHO RENOUNCED HIS MUSLIM FAITH
An Islamic court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a man to death for renouncing his Muslim faith, the
FEBRUARY 24, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO TERRORISTS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Criminal court in Saudi Arabia sentenced two members of Al Qaeda for plotting to hijack a plane in
FEBRUARY 21, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: PRESIDENT MAMNOON REJECTS 9 DEATH ROW INMATES’ MERCY PLEAS
Pakistan’s President Mamnoon Hussain turned down during last two days clemency appeals of nine