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 31, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 99% OF DEATH SENTENCE PRISONERS ESCAPE GALLOWS
Lost in the cacophony of human rights activists protesting against death penalty after Parliament
MARCH 29, 2013MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: IRANIAN SISTERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Two Iranian sisters were sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia for trafficking
- MARCH 28, 2013SudanDEATH PENALTY
seven Justice and Equality Movement’s members were sentenced to death
seven Justice and Equality Movement’s members were sentenced to death
- MARCH 28, 2013FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury recommended the death penalty for John Lee, 49, white
USA - Florida. A jury recommended the death penalty for John Lee, 49, white
MARCH 27, 2013EthiopiaDEATH PENALTYUAE: DUBAI COURT GIVES DEATH SENTENCE
A housemaid who stabbed a co-worker to death with a kitchen knife in an unexplained
MARCH 27, 2013ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: COURT SENTENCES 3 DRUG DEALERS TO DEATH, JAILS 18
A court in southeast China's Fujian Province said that it has sentenced three
- MARCH 26, 2013North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - North Carolina. Death penalty bill passes committee
USA - North Carolina. Death penalty bill passes committee
- MARCH 25, 2013NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
two policemen, Ameh Richard and Akinyede Olaiya, are to die by hanging.
two policemen, Ameh Richard and Akinyede Olaiya, are to die by hanging.
MARCH 25, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ABORTING 40 WOMEN
A Saudi court sentenced a man to death after he was convicted of aborting more than 40 pregnant women
- MARCH 25, 2013ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. A jury sentenced Darrell Bryant Ketchner, 54, white, to death
USA - Arizona. A jury sentenced Darrell Bryant Ketchner, 54, white, to death
MARCH 25, 2013EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: MUSLIM CONDEMNED TO DEATH FOR KILLING 2 COPTS
A Muslim man was sentenced to death after having been found guilty of killing two Coptic Christians
MARCH 25, 2013United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: MAN WHO MURDERED PREGNANT WIFE HAS DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED
A man sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates for murdering his wife had his sentence
MARCH 24, 2013Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: HAMAS SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH FOR SPYING FOR ISRAEL
Gaza’s Hamas rulers have sentenced a man to death for collaborating with Israel.
- MARCH 22, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
fast track court in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district sentenced a man to capital punishment
fast track court in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district sentenced a man to capital punishment
- MARCH 20, 2013CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. A jury has recommended the death penalty for Waymon Livingston, 29, black
USA - California. A jury has recommended the death penalty for Waymon Livingston, 29, black
- MARCH 20, 2013OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. A jury recommended the death penalty for Richard Beasley, 53, white
USA - Ohio. A jury recommended the death penalty for Richard Beasley, 53, white
- MARCH 19, 2013TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN'S CAPITAL PUNISHMENT POLICY REMAINS UNCHANGED: PREMIER
Taiwan's Premier Jiang Yi-huah said that the government is cautiously assessing the scrapping
- MARCH 19, 2013SudanDEATH PENALTY
seven people were sentenced to death by the Special Criminal
seven people were sentenced to death by the Special Criminal
- MARCH 17, 2013IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
a Saudi court sentenced an Indonesian housemaid to death...
a Saudi court sentenced an Indonesian housemaid to death...
MARCH 15, 2013MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: GARDENER GETS DEATH FOR MURDER
A gardener was sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia for murdering an Indian national
- MARCH 14, 2013QatarDEATH PENALTY
QATAR: DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO DEATH
In Qatar, a bench of the Doha Criminal Court has unanimously sentenced a drug trafficker to death
MARCH 14, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPING, KILLING MINOR GIRL
In a fast-track trial, a man was sentenced to death by a court in India for raping and killing an
MARCH 14, 2013Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER 1999 MURDER
in Sri Lanka, the Monaragala High Court sentenced to death 5 people over a shooting incident
MARCH 14, 2013TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: PATIENT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR FATAL HOSPITAL FIRE
A cancer patient who started a fire in a Taiwan hospital -- which killed 13 people and injured
- MARCH 13, 2013LibyaDEATH PENALTY
LIBYA: TOBRUK BANK ROBBERS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
Five men found guilty of killing four staff of the Tobruk branch of the Bank of North Africa
MARCH 13, 2013AlgeriaDEATH PENALTYALGERIA: EX-POLICE CHIEF SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Algeria court sentenced a former police commissioner to death for murdering
MARCH 11, 2013AlgeriaDEATH PENALTYALGERIA: COURT SENTENCES 14 AL-QAEDA SUSPECTS TO CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
An Algerian court has sentenced 14 suspects having linked to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic
- MARCH 7, 2013TanzaniaDEATH PENALTY
TANZANIA: SINGIDA MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
In Tanzania, the Dodoma High Court has sentenced to death one Juma Swedi (25), a resident
- MARCH 7, 2013OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. A jury recommended the death penalty for Steven Cepec, 43, white
USA - Ohio. A jury recommended the death penalty for Steven Cepec, 43, white
- MARCH 6, 2013PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: 52 DEATH SENTENCES FOR 52 LIVES LOST
A judge who faced constant death threats from the Taliban during a 22-month long case