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 26, 2014NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Nigeria - Emeka Nweke, 31, sentenced to death for armed robbery
Nigeria - Emeka Nweke, 31, sentenced to death for armed robbery
- MARCH 26, 2014PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: DRUG SMUGGLING CASES, 70% OF DEATH SENTENCES QUASHED BY HIGHER COURTS
Seventy per cent of the death sentences awarded by the country’s lower judiciary on drug smuggling
- MARCH 24, 2014QatarDEATH PENALTY
a man has been sentenced to death in Qatar and a fine of QR500,000 (10.000 €) for smuggling some
a man has been sentenced to death in Qatar and a fine of QR500,000 (10.000 €) for smuggling some
MARCH 24, 2014VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: COURT UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY FOR SLASHER ROBBER
A 21-year-old man who led a machete-armed gang that hacked off a woman's hand and violently robbed at
- MARCH 23, 2014United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD FOR JANITOR CONVICTED OF SCHOOLGIRL RAPE
A janitor sentenced to death for raping a seven-year-old schoolgirl had his sentence upheld by the Appeals
- MARCH 21, 2014North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - North Carolina. A jury recommended that Juan Carlos Rodriguez, 38, from El Salvador, be put to death.
USA - North Carolina. A jury recommended that Juan Carlos Rodriguez, 38, from El Salvador, be put to death.
MARCH 21, 2014VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: SAIGON WOMAN WANTS TO MARRY A DEATH ROW PRISONER
The Supreme People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City recently received the application of a 26-year-old
- MARCH 21, 2014OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. Ohio rejects request of Ronald Phillips to donate organs to family members
USA - Ohio. Ohio rejects request of Ronald Phillips to donate organs to family members
MARCH 20, 2014JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: DEATH PENALTY UPHELD FOR WOMAN
The Matsue branch of the Hiroshima High Court upheld capital punishment for a woman convicted of killing
- MARCH 18, 2014PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
Additional District and Sessions Judge Malik Ali Zulqarnain in Lahore awarded death sentence to a man,
- MARCH 17, 2014South CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - South Carolina. A jury issued the death sentence for Ricky Blackwell for killing an 8-year-old girl.
USA - South Carolina. A jury issued the death sentence for Ricky Blackwell for killing an 8-year-old girl.
- MARCH 17, 2014ConnecticutDEATH PENALTY
USA - Connecticut. At the end of the repetition of the trial, a jury has sentenced Richard Roszkowski to death.
USA - Connecticut. At the end of the repetition of the trial, a jury has sentenced Richard Roszkowski to death.
MARCH 15, 2014Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER A’PURA MURDER
A person found guilty regarding a murder which had taken place in Shrawasthipura, Anuradhapura in
- MARCH 13, 2014MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MADIVES: PRESIDENT YAMEEN, GOVERMENT WILL ENFORCE DEATH PENALTY
the Government formulated the new regulations specifying procedures for enforcing the death penalty.
- MARCH 13, 2014SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN: REBEL CHIEFS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ABSENTIA
a Sudanese court sentenced seventeen people to death in absentia, including a former Governor who is now a rebel leader, and another insurgent chief, said Al-Tigani Hassan, a lawyer who was present for the verdict in Singa town, the capital of Sennar Stat
MARCH 13, 2014VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: BANKER SENTENCED TO DEATH IN GRAND SCAM
A court in the Central Highlands gave the death sentence to a Vietnam Development Bank (VDB) executive
- MARCH 12, 2014PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Patrick Haney Jr., 29, White, to death.
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Patrick Haney Jr., 29, White, to death.
- MARCH 12, 2014CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. A Jury Recommended Death for Hilbert Pineil Thomas, 42, Black.
USA - California. A Jury Recommended Death for Hilbert Pineil Thomas, 42, Black.
- MARCH 12, 2014YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: 16 PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
a Yemeni court in Taizz sentenced 16 people to death, including MP Ahmad al-Barati from the General
- MARCH 12, 2014Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: LAWYER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR COLD-BLOODED MURDER OF WIFE
The Court of Appeal affirmed the conviction of an attorney-at-law for the murder of his wife and the
- MARCH 11, 2014DEATH PENALTY
LOUISIANA (USA): DEATH ROW INMATE GLENN FORD RELEASED 30 YEARS AFTER WRONGFUL CONVICTION
After 30 years behind bars - most of them on death row - Glenn Ford, walked free tonight from the
- MARCH 10, 2014KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: EX-POLICEMAN IN NAROK ROBBERY CASE SENTENCED TO DEATH
In Kenya, a Narok court sentenced a former police officer to death after he was found guilty of robbery
MARCH 10, 2014JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: MAN GETS DEATH FOR 2011 ROBBERY-MURDERS IN OSAKA
The Osaka District Court sentenced a 52-year-old man to death for killing two people in two separate
- MARCH 9, 2014United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: PAKISTANI MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A 30-year-old Pakistani man in Dubai (UAE) was sentenced to death for trafficking four kilogrammes of
- MARCH 6, 2014DEATH PENALTY
COLORADO (USA): CONTROVERSIAL CASE ENDS WITH A PLEA AND LIFE SENTENCE
Edward Montour, the defendant accused of killing correctional officer Eric Autobee in a Colorado prison,
- MARCH 5, 2014SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: TWO SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN PUNTLAND
two soldiers were sentenced to death by the Puntland Military Court, after being convicted of murder.
MARCH 5, 2014BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: PRESIDENTS SAVED 30 FROM GALLOWS BETWEEN 2001-2013
Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said a total of 33 people, who were sentenced to death from
MARCH 3, 2014SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: DRUG OFFENDER ON DEATH ROW GETS LIFE SENTENCE
A drug trafficker sentenced to death in Singapore was re-sentenced to life imprisonment, making him the
- FEBRUARY 28, 2014ChinaDEATH PENALTY
former Guangdong Party bigwig Zhou Zhenhong was sentenced to death with two years' reprieve for taking
former Guangdong Party bigwig Zhou Zhenhong was sentenced to death with two years' reprieve for taking
- FEBRUARY 28, 2014TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Brandon Daniel, 26, White, to death
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Brandon Daniel, 26, White, to death