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
- JULY 25, 2014United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER POLICE OFFICER’S MURDER
The brutal murder of an Ajman Police officer three years ago has been finally laid to rest with the Ajman
- JULY 24, 2014United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions orders new trial in Donald Fell's case
USA - U.S. District Court Judge William K. Sessions orders new trial in Donald Fell's case
JULY 24, 2014SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: COURT CARRIES OUT DEATH PENALTY AGAINST FOUR SHABAB FIGHTERS
Somalia’s military court carried out the death penalty against four Shabab fighters founded guilty of ant-
JULY 24, 2014Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: 4 INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY THE KANDY HIGH COURT
4 individuals who were found guilty in connection to a murder were sentenced to death by the Kandy High
JULY 23, 2014AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: DEATH SENTENCE GIVEN IN AP PHOTOGRAPHER'S KILLING
A Kabul court announced that the Afghan police officer charged with killing Associated Press photographer
JULY 23, 2014GhanaDEATH PENALTYGHANA: PRESIDENT MAHAMA GRANTS PARDON TO 21 DEATH ROW INMATES
A statement issued by Deputy Minister of the Interior James Agalga said the President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana had granted amnesty to 1,104 prisoners in commemoration of 54th Republic Anniversary which fell on 1 July.
- JULY 22, 2014United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: PEOPLE CONVICTED OF TERRORISM COULD FACE DEATH PENALTY UNDER FNC LAW PROPOSAL
People convicted of terrorism in the UAE could face the death penalty under new legislation being
- JULY 22, 2014United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAN GIVEN DEATH PENALTY BY DUBAI COURT FOR KILLING HIS EMPLOYER
MR, a 31-year-old Pakistani clerk who killed his employer and robbed him before fleeing the UAE, was
JULY 22, 2014VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED
Three prisoners have been executed in Vietnam in different cases, state media reported.
- JULY 22, 2014Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTY
MYANMAR: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR NEAR BEHEADING CASE
A man who murdered another man by nearly beheading him for bumping his shoulder has been sentenced to
JULY 21, 2014PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE
In two different murder cases in Pakistan, Syed Muzafar Ali Shah Additional Sessions Judge awarded death
- JULY 18, 2014SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
SINGAPORE: 2 CONVICTED DRUG TRAFFICKERS EXECUTED
Two Singaporeans, Tang Hai Liang, 36, and Foong Chee Peng, 48, had their death sentences carried out
- JULY 18, 2014FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury recommended the death penalty for Kevin Jeffries
USA - Florida. A jury recommended the death penalty for Kevin Jeffries
JULY 18, 2014IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: PRESIDENT REJECTS MERCY PLEAS OF SIX DEATH ROW CONVICTS
President Pranab Mukherjee of India rejected the mercy petitions of Nithari serial killer Surinder Koli and
- JULY 16, 2014UkraineDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: FOREIGN COUPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
The Colombo High Court sentenced to death a Ukrainian couple found guilty of a double murder committed
JULY 16, 2014NigeriaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: NIGERIAN STUDENT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A Nigerian private college student was sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia, after he was
- JULY 16, 2014EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: TEENAGER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER AND RAPE
A 19-year-old man was sentenced to death by an Egyptian court on charges of sexual assault and murder
JULY 16, 2014DEATH PENALTYUSA: INSPECTOR GENERAL'S REPORT FAULTS FBI REVIEW OF DEATH PENALTY CASES
According to a report released on July 16 by the Inspector General's Office of the Department of Justice,
- JULY 14, 2014SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
Malaysian Devendran A/L Supramaniam, who imported 83.36g of diamorphine into Singapore was
Malaysian Devendran A/L Supramaniam, who imported 83.36g of diamorphine into Singapore was
JULY 14, 2014PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: BLASPHEMY ACCUSED SENTENCED TO DEATH
A sessions court in Pakistan handed down the death sentence and imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on a
- JULY 11, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA COMMUTES BUSINESSWOMAN'S SENTENCE TO LIFE
China commuted the fraud sentence of businesswoman Wu Ying -- once listed among its richest women but
- JULY 11, 2014MississippiDEATH PENALTY
USA - Mississippi. A jury sentenced Justin Blakeney to death
USA - Mississippi. A jury sentenced Justin Blakeney to death
- JULY 10, 2014ArkansasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arkansas. A jury sentenced Robert Holland to death.
USA - Arkansas. A jury sentenced Robert Holland to death.
JULY 9, 2014MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: SHOPKEEPER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF FRENCH TOURIST IN TIOMAN ISLAND
A Malaysian shopkeeper was sentenced to death after a court found him guilty of murdering a French
JULY 8, 2014ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: NKOMO FARM MURDERER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A High Court judge described as cold, calculated and callous, the senseless killing of two workers at the
- JULY 5, 2014United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAJOR RELIEF FOR 17 INDIANS; COURT QUASHES DEATH SENTENCES
Seventeen Indians, who were sentenced to death in UAE in March this year, received a big reprieve ahead
- JULY 3, 2014BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
Justice Lakvinder Wallia of Gaborone High Court has sentenced Patrick Gabaakanye (54) of Serowe to
Justice Lakvinder Wallia of Gaborone High Court has sentenced Patrick Gabaakanye (54) of Serowe to
- JULY 3, 2014Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: 6 SENTENCED TO DEATH FROM TANGALLE AND KALUTHARA
The Kaluthara and Tangalle High courts passed death penalties on 6 individuals today who were found
- JULY 3, 2014FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. The Florida Supreme Court today approved a series of changes aimed at improving the death-penalty appeals process
USA - Florida. The Florida Supreme Court today approved a series of changes aimed at improving the death-penalty appeals process
- JULY 2, 2014ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
ZAMBIA: MAZABUKA MAN, 22, GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER
A 22-year old man of Mazabuka was sentenced to death in Zambia by the Livingstone High Court for