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 16, 2012CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. The Court of Appeals has tossed out the death penalty sentence of Richard Phillips, white
USA - California. The Court of Appeals has tossed out the death penalty sentence of Richard Phillips, white
- MARCH 15, 2012FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Robert Foster sentenced Gregory David Larkin, 38, white, to death
USA - Florida. Judge Robert Foster sentenced Gregory David Larkin, 38, white, to death
- MARCH 15, 2012CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge Dewey L. Falcone sentenced Gabriel Ronquillo, 39, Hispanic, to death
USA - California. Judge Dewey L. Falcone sentenced Gabriel Ronquillo, 39, Hispanic, to death
- MARCH 14, 2012AlgeriaDEATH PENALTY
ALGERIA: 7 MORE DEATH SENTENCES IN BOMB ATTACK TRIAL
An Algerian court passed 7 death sentences in connection with a string of bombings
MARCH 14, 2012BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: PRESIDENT LUKASHENKO DENIES SUBWAY BOMBERS CLEMENCY
Belarus' president has denied clemency to two men sentenced to death for last
MARCH 13, 2012JordanDEATH PENALTYJORDAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
In Jordan, the Criminal Court sentenced a Jordanian to death and an Egyptian to 20 years
MARCH 13, 2012AlgeriaDEATH PENALTYALGERIA: DEATH SENTENCE IN ABSENTIA FOR QAEDA NORTH AFRICA CHIEF
An Algerian court sentenced the head of Al-Qaeda's north African offshoot to death in his absence
MARCH 12, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: DEATH ROW CONVICT ESCAPES
A 25-year-old Saudi prisoner who was on death row at the general prison in the southern
- MARCH 12, 2012EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING A COPT DAYS AHEAD OF UPRISING
In Egypt, Menya's Criminal Court has decided to sentence low-ranking policeman
MARCH 8, 2012ThailandDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: 3 THAI NATIONALS, MALAYSIAN TO HANG FOR FIREARMS, BULLETS POSSESSION
Three Thai nationals and a Malaysian man were sentenced to death by the High Court
- MARCH 7, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: DEATH-ROW INMATES MAIN SOURCE OF ORGANS
Executed prisoners were still the main source of organs used in transplant operations
MARCH 7, 2012PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: SIX SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
An additional sessions judge, Chaudhary Ghulam Murtaza, in Toba Tek Singh, Pakistan,
MARCH 7, 2012EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING FIRST MILITARY VICTIM SINCE UPRISING
The Supreme Military Court has ordered the death penalty on a couple of civilians for killing
MARCH 7, 2012TaiwanDEATH PENALTYCHINA: 3 TAIWANESE EXECUTED IN XIAMEN FOR TRAFFICKING 357KG DRUGS
Three Taiwanese drug traffickers who were given the death penalty by the Xiamen
- MARCH 6, 2012SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
Azman Sanwan, 41, a prisoner convicted of trafficking...
Azman Sanwan, 41, a prisoner convicted of trafficking...
- MARCH 6, 2012TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Carl Wayne Buntion, 68, white, to death
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Carl Wayne Buntion, 68, white, to death
- MARCH 6, 2012FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Daniel Merritt Sr. sentenced John Kalisz, 57, white, to death
USA - Florida. Judge Daniel Merritt Sr. sentenced John Kalisz, 57, white, to death
MARCH 5, 2012IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SUPREME COURT ORDERS RETRIAL OF EX-MARINE SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Iranian semiofficial news agency reports that the country's Supreme Court has ordered the retrial of an ex-Marine who was sentenced to death for working for the CIA.
- MARCH 2, 2012IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
a total of 203 Indonesian migrant workers are currently...
a total of 203 Indonesian migrant workers are currently known to be facing the death penalty in a number of foreign countries, Antara news agency quoted the task force as saying
- MARCH 2, 2012EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR TORTURING WIFE TO DEATH
An Egypt court in Shebeen al-Koum, a prominent village in Menufiya, in the Nile Delta region north of Cairo, handed the death sentence to a man who tortured and killed his wife in 2010.
MARCH 2, 2012JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: TOP COURT REJECTS APPEAL, FINALIZING DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER-ROBBERY
In Japan, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by a 66-year-old man sentenced to death for robbing and murdering a couple in Saitama Prefecture in February 2007
MARCH 1, 2012Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: DEATH PENALTY UPHELD FOR MURDER
Ma'an News Agency reported that a court in the Gaza Strip had refused an appeal
- FEBRUARY 29, 2012DEATH PENALTY
TEXAS (USA): GEORGE RIVAS EXECUTED
George Rivas, 41, white, was executed in Texas for killing Aubrey Hawkins, 29, white
- FEBRUARY 29, 2012TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. George Rivas, 41, white, was executed
USA - Texas. George Rivas, 41, white, was executed
- FEBRUARY 29, 2012FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury sentenced Johnny Mack Sketo Calhoun, 34, white, to death
USA - Florida. A jury sentenced Johnny Mack Sketo Calhoun, 34, white, to death
FEBRUARY 29, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI MAN FACES EXECUTION IN MAID KILLINGS
A Saudi Arabian man has been sentenced to death after being convicted of raping and murdering
- FEBRUARY 28, 2012VietnamDEATH PENALTY
a Vietnam court has sentenced a man to death after he...
a Vietnam court has sentenced a man to death after he...
- FEBRUARY 28, 2012FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge William H. Hallman III sentenced Bill Paul Marquardt, 36, white, to death
USA - Florida. Judge William H. Hallman III sentenced Bill Paul Marquardt, 36, white, to death
FEBRUARY 28, 2012ThailandDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: THAI DRUG TRAFFICKER TO HANG
A 32-year-old Thai woman was sentenced to death by the High Court in Malaysia for trafficking in 258.3gm of cocaine.
FEBRUARY 27, 2012NigeriaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: NIGERIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
In Malaysia, the High Court sentenced to death a Nigerian man after he was found guilty