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
APRIL 6, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR $16 MILLION FUND SCAM
A 30-year-old Chinese woman was sentenced to death by a court in Wenzhou for "cheating
- APRIL 6, 2012OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. A 3-judge panel sentenced Anthony Belton, 26, black, to death
USA - Ohio. A 3-judge panel sentenced Anthony Belton, 26, black, to death
APRIL 5, 2012BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF CHILD
One man, Rakib Sonar, 25, was sentenced to death and another was sentenced to
APRIL 4, 2012KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: DEATH PENALTY OVERTURNED FOR TWO ROBBERY CONVICTS
In Kenya, the sentence of two men twice convicted of violent robbery has been overturned
- APRIL 2, 2012PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury has sentenced Michael Parrish, 26, white, to death
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury has sentenced Michael Parrish, 26, white, to death
- APRIL 2, 2012FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury sentenced Arthur James Martin, 42, black, to death.
USA - Florida. A jury sentenced Arthur James Martin, 42, black, to death.
- APRIL 2, 2012FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury recommended the death penalty for Arthur James Martin
USA - Florida. A jury recommended the death penalty for Arthur James Martin
MARCH 31, 2012AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: WOMAN EXTRA-JUDICIALLY EXECUTED OVER ILLICIT RELATIONS
an Afghan woman was extra-judicially executed, after being sentenced to death for
- MARCH 30, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
woman serial killer Mallika alias Cyanide Mallika...
woman serial killer Mallika alias Cyanide Mallika...
- MARCH 30, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a Hong Kong man, Robert Shan Shiao-may and a Taiwanese man...
a Hong Kong man, Robert Shan Shiao-may and a Taiwanese man...
- MARCH 30, 2012TennesseeDEATH PENALTY
USA - Tennessee. A jury sentenced Rickey Bell, 30, black, to death
USA - Tennessee. A jury sentenced Rickey Bell, 30, black, to death
- MARCH 29, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: TWO MYANMAR WOMEN AND TWO LOCALS TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
In Malaysia, two Myanmar women and two Malaysian men were sentenced to death
- MARCH 29, 2012BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
three persons were awarded death sentences and six others...
three persons were awarded death sentences and six others lifetime imprisonment for killing local Awami League leaders Golam Azam and Shahjahan Ali.
- MARCH 29, 2012BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH - Bangladeshi national sentenced to death by Malaysia's High Court
- MARCH 29, 2012FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Elizabeth Senterfitt sentenced David Sparre, 20, white, to death
USA - Florida. Judge Elizabeth Senterfitt sentenced David Sparre, 20, white, to death
- MARCH 27, 2012ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
Zibusiso Ndlovu, a man who stabbed a woman to death after failing to rape her
Zibusiso Ndlovu, a man who stabbed a woman to death after failing to rape her
- MARCH 27, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal judge bars import of execution drug.
USA - Federal judge bars import of execution drug.
MARCH 27, 2012DEATH PENALTYUSA: FEDERAL JUDGE BARS IMPORT OF EXECUTION DRUG
U.S. District Judge Richard Leon in Washington issued the 22-page decision in a case filed by 21 condemned convicts against the federal Food and Drug Administration, which they alleged had violated its own rules by allowing entry of the powerful anaesthet
- MARCH 26, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: UIGHUR MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER XINJIANG ATTACKS
A Uighur man accused by the Chinese government of being the mastermind behind deadly
MARCH 26, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: 860 PRISONERS UNDER DEATH SENTENCE
In Malaysia, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein told the Parliament that a total of 860 prisoners have been sentenced to death for various offences such as murder, drug trafficking, firearms offences and kidnapping up to 28 February 2012.
- MARCH 23, 2012ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
ZIMBABWE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RITUAL MURDER
in Zimbabwe, Justice Martin Makonese sentenced Colgate Buffen Mudenda to death by
- MARCH 23, 2012PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
a court in China handed down the death sentence
a court in China handed down the death sentence
- MARCH 23, 2012TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Mark Anthony Soliz, 30, Hispanic, to death
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Mark Anthony Soliz, 30, Hispanic, to death
- MARCH 23, 2012NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: SUPREME COURT RE-AFFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE ON KILLER SECURITY GUARD
In Nigeria, the Supreme Court re-affirmed the death sentence passed on a security guard, Stephen
- MARCH 22, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA TO ABOLISH TRANSPLANTING ORGANS FROM CONDEMNED PRISONERS WITHIN 3-5 YEARS
China has pledged to abolish the practice of taking transplant human organs from condemned prisoners within three to five years, a senior health official said.
MARCH 21, 2012SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: MAN FACES DEATH PENALTY FOR STABBING AND KILLING WOMAN
In Singapore, Indian national Bijukumar Remadevi Nair Gopinathan, 36, was convicted of the murder
MARCH 21, 2012EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: SUSPECT SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER VILLAGE MASSACRE OF 15
In Egypt, Banha Criminal Court sentenced one person to death and six others to prison in
MARCH 19, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: IRANIAN WOMAN GETS DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING IN 1.76KG OF SYABU
An Iranian woman was sent to the gallows by the High Court in Malaysia for
- MARCH 18, 2012MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
three friends were sentenced to the gallows by the High Court...
three friends were sentenced to the gallows by the High Court...
MARCH 16, 2012ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: GUARD SENTENCED TO DEATH
A security guard who killed his teenage sister-in-law was sentenced to death in