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 5, 2013SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
a Puntland military court sentenced three Al-Shabaab members convicted of terrorism
a Puntland military court sentenced three Al-Shabaab members convicted of terrorism
MARCH 4, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: YOUTH GETS DEATH FOR RAPING & KILLING MINOR
Conducting a rape and murder trial in a short span of nine days, a court in Madhya Pradesh
- FEBRUARY 28, 2013PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Ricky Smyrnes, 26, white, to death
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Ricky Smyrnes, 26, white, to death
- FEBRUARY 28, 2013ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. A jury sentenced Joel Escalante Orozco, 38, hispanic, to death
USA - Arizona. A jury sentenced Joel Escalante Orozco, 38, hispanic, to death
- FEBRUARY 28, 2013BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: ISLAMIST LEADER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A special tribunal in Bangladesh convicted the leader of an Islamic political party of war crimes stemming
FEBRUARY 28, 2013VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: CHINESE MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING 11KG OF NARCOTICS
In Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh City Supreme People's Court of Appeal rejected an
- FEBRUARY 28, 2013CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. A jury today recommended the death penalty for Jason Balcom, 42, black
USA - California. A jury today recommended the death penalty for Jason Balcom, 42, black
- FEBRUARY 26, 2013BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
a Dhaka court, Bangladesh, awarded death penalty to three convicted
a Dhaka court, Bangladesh, awarded death penalty to three convicted
FEBRUARY 25, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPING AND MURDERING MINOR GIRL
A court in Jabalpur, India, awarded death sentence to a man for raping and killing a seven year old
FEBRUARY 24, 2013SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: SIX MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING IN EL FASHER
The special court for crimes committed in Darfur, headed by judge Tarig Khalil, sentenced six
- FEBRUARY 24, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: RAPIST AWARDED DEATH PENALTY
In India, a 21-year-old man, who had raped and killed a three and a half-year-old girl on February
- FEBRUARY 22, 2013CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. A jury recommended the death sentence against Emilio Manuel Avalos, 35, hispanic
USA - California. A jury recommended the death sentence against Emilio Manuel Avalos, 35, hispanic
- FEBRUARY 21, 2013DEATH PENALTY
TEXAS (USA): CARL BLUE PUT TO DEATH
Carl Blue, 48, black, was executed in Texas. He had been condemned to die for killing
- FEBRUARY 21, 2013CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Maryland. The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee approves SB 276 to abolish death penalty
USA - Maryland. The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee approves SB 276 to abolish death penalty
- FEBRUARY 21, 2013TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Carl Blue, 48, black, was executed
USA - Texas. Carl Blue, 48, black, was executed
- FEBRUARY 20, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
an Iraqi court has sentenced a Saudi man to death for joining a Jihadist group
an Iraqi court has sentenced a Saudi man to death for joining a Jihadist group
- FEBRUARY 20, 2013FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury recommended death for Paul Beasley Johnson, 63, white
USA - Florida. A jury recommended death for Paul Beasley Johnson, 63, white
FEBRUARY 20, 2013AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: HERAT COURT SENTENCES CHILD'S KIDNAPPERS TO DEATH
A court in Herat, Afghanistan, handed a death sentence to two men who were charged with kidnapping and
- FEBRUARY 18, 2013SudanDEATH PENALTY
a Sudanese judge sentenced seven men to hang for the drugging and rape of a 14-year-old girl
a Sudanese judge sentenced seven men to hang for the drugging and rape of a 14-year-old girl
FEBRUARY 17, 2013LibyaDEATH PENALTYLIBYA: 'MISSIONARIES' COULD FACE DEATH
Libyan officials said they arrested four foreigners on suspicion of dispensing Christian
- FEBRUARY 16, 2013MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: JOBLESS MAN TO HANG FOR MURDER ONFIVE-FOOT WAY
An unemployed man has been sentenced to death by a High Court in Malaysia which found
FEBRUARY 15, 2013JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: DEATH PENALTY GIVEN TO MURDERER WITH SINGLE VICTIM AND NO CRIMINAL RECORD
In Japan, an Okayama district court sentenced 30-year old Koichi Sumida to death for killing a 27
- FEBRUARY 15, 2013OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. Judge Paul Gallagher imposed the death sentence on Dawud Spaulding, 30, black
USA - Ohio. Judge Paul Gallagher imposed the death sentence on Dawud Spaulding, 30, black
FEBRUARY 14, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 1,455 DEATH PENALTIES IN 10 YEARS
In India, a total of 1,455 convicts were handed out death sentence in the past 10 years which
- FEBRUARY 13, 2013YemenDEATH PENALTY
Ahmed Saleh Abdullah al-Ma’ouri was executed by shooting in a prison in al-Baydha...
Ahmed Saleh Abdullah al-Ma’ouri was executed by shooting in a prison in al-Baydha...
FEBRUARY 13, 2013United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: TORTURE DAD SENTENCED TO DEATH, GIRLFRIEND GETS LIFE IN PRISON
Dubai criminal court has sentenced the Emirati torture dad to death while his girlfriend was given life in
- FEBRUARY 12, 2013FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury has recommended that Khalid Ali Pasha, 69, black, should be executed
USA - Florida. A jury has recommended that Khalid Ali Pasha, 69, black, should be executed
- FEBRUARY 10, 2013United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DRIVER GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR SMOTHERING ELDERLY DONOR
A Comorian driver who smothered an elderly female benefactor during a fierce theft attempt ten years ago was sentenced to death in Dubai.
FEBRUARY 9, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN EXECUTED IN ’01 PARLIAMENT ATTACK
India hanged a man who had been convicted of involvement in a 2001 attack on Parliament that killed nine people.
- FEBRUARY 8, 2013IndianaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Indiana. A jury has recommended the death penalty for Kevin Isom, 47, black
USA - Indiana. A jury has recommended the death penalty for Kevin Isom, 47, black