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
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: COURT GRANTS DEATH TO FOUR ACCUSED
an ADJ (III) court in Ghaziabad, India, sentenced four men to death for the murder of four members of a family in Nabipur, Muradnagar.
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: TWO GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR TEENAGER’S MURDER
in India, 3rd Additional Sessions Judge C J Akarte sentenced Rajesh Shivprasad Sakhre...
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: ONE GETS DEATH PENALTY IN MURDER CASE
in Kasur, Pakistan, Additional District and Sessions Judge Aqil Hussain Chohan awarded the death sentence and a fine of Rs 200,000 to Abdur Rehman, alias Kali.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2009VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: TWO WOMEN GET DEATH, EX-COPS JAIL IN DRUG SCANDAL
Two women leaders of a drug dealing ring in Hanoi, Vietnam, were sentenced to death in a case that also saw six former police officers of the capital city get prison terms.
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SC AWARDS DEATH TO MAN WHO HACKED WIFE, 5 CHILDREN
the Indian Supreme Court awarded capital punishment to a man identified as Jagdiah who hacked his wife and five children to death with a long knife on August 19, 2005.
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: PROPOSAL TO END DEATH SENTENCE NOT TO COVER TERRORISTS
Pakistan said terrorists sentenced to death will not be pardoned if capital punishment is abolished in the country.
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: DEATH FOR PRISONER FACING LIFE TERM
in Chatra, India, Additional District and Sessions Judge (fast track-II) Sudhir Kumar Sinha...
SEPTEMBER 16, 2009UgandaDEATH PENALTYUGANDA: 17 CHILDREN ON LUZIRA DEATH ROW
Luzira Prison in Uganda has 17 juveniles sentenced to death but cannot be hanged because they committed the offences when they were below 18 years, said the Report launched by the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative.
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2009CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. A jury recommended the death penalty for George Anthony Hernandez Jr.
USA - California. A jury recommended the death penalty for George Anthony Hernandez Jr.
- SEPTEMBER 11, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: FOUR GET DEATH FOR MURDER
four men were sentenced to death by Judge Datuk Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha of the High Court in Muar, Malaysia.
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2009Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TURKISH MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a Turkish citizen arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2007 for drug trafficking was recently sentenced to death, his
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2009Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
DRC: TWO NORWEGIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH
a court in the Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced two Norwegians to death on charges of murder and espionage.
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2009FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Jurors recommended the death penalty for Robert Earl Peterson
USA - Florida. Jurors recommended the death penalty for Robert Earl Peterson
SEPTEMBER 7, 2009AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: FREEDOM FOR PERVEZ AFTER KARZAI'S INTERVENTION
Sayed Pervez Kambaksh, the student sentenced to death in Afghanistan for trying to promote women's
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: HIZBUL MILITANT GETS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
a Hizbul Mujahideen militant was sentenced to death by a court in India’s Reasi district for murder. Principal
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2009CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. A jury has recommended death for Kai Harris
USA - California. A jury has recommended death for Kai Harris
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: KASHMIRI GETS DEATH SENTENCE
in occupied Kashmir, India, Reasi Principal Sessions Judge A K Koul awarded the death penalty to Abdul Rashid for killing a 70 year-old man and two minor girls in Mahore in 2008
SEPTEMBER 4, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a 25-year-old man was sentenced to death by High Court Judicial Commissioner Datuk Mohd Zawawi
- SEPTEMBER 3, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: JUDGE'S ERROR LETS OFF DEATH ROW POSTMAN
the Malaysian Federal Court acquitted postman Mohd Shamshir Md Rasid...
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: DEATH CONVICT NOOR MUHAMMAD FILES APPEAL
Noor Muhammad, one of two men sentenced to death by the Anti Terrorism Court...
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2009NevadaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nevada. A Clark County jury sentenced Thomas Richardson to two death sentences
USA - Nevada. A Clark County jury sentenced Thomas Richardson to two death sentences
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: TYRE SHOP ASSISTANT TO HANG FOR TRAFFICKING CANNABIS
the High Court in Shah Alam, Malaysia, sentenced a tyre shop assistant to hang for trafficking 625.7g of
- AUGUST 29, 2009LouisianaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Louisiana. An Orleans Parish jury decided that Michael Anderson, deserves the death penalty
USA - Louisiana. An Orleans Parish jury decided that Michael Anderson, deserves the death penalty
- AUGUST 28, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: HC ADMITS APPEAL OF 2003 BLASTS CONVICT FACING DEATH PENALTY
Justices Bilal Nazki and A R Joshi of the Bombay High Court in India allowed an appeal by death row inmate Ashrat Ansari.
- AUGUST 27, 2009Governo Federale degli Stati UnitiDEATH PENALTY
USA - Virginia. A federal jury unanimously sentenced David Runyon to death
USA - Virginia. A federal jury unanimously sentenced David Runyon to death
- AUGUST 27, 2009ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. Scott Nordstrom has been re-sentenced to death
USA - Arizona. Scott Nordstrom has been re-sentenced to death
AUGUST 26, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: EXECUTED PRISONERS ARE MAIN SOURCE OF ORGAN DONATIONS
two-thirds of organ donors in China are executed prisoners, state media reported, as health officials
- AUGUST 26, 2009NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: DEATH ROW PRISONERS FREED IN LAGOS STATE
in Nigeria, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola granted an amnesty on "humanitarian grounds" to
AUGUST 26, 2009Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
the Colombo High Court in Sri Lanka imposed the death sentence on the accused in the Dhammika
AUGUST 26, 2009BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING WIFE IN DINAJPUR
in Dinajpur, Bangladesh, Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge M Shamsul Huda