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
- AUGUST 2, 2009United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: COURT TO REVIEW MAN'S DEATH SENTENCE
the Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is again reviewing the case of a Pakistani on death row for killing a young Emirati woman in Sharjah.
- JULY 31, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: ACEHNESE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING
a 26-year-old Indonesian from Aceh was sentenced to death by the High Court in Shah Alam, Malaysia, for trafficking in 854.2g of cannabis.
- JULY 31, 2009JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN: HAYAKAWA'S DEATH SENTENCE FINAL
the Japanese Supreme Court finalised the death sentence of a former member of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult after rejecting his appeal, sources said.
- JULY 30, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: COURT AWARDS DEATH SENTENCE TO MAN FOR MURDERING NEIGHBOUR
a court in Allahabad, India, awarded the death sentence to Sanjay, a resident of Uttaraon police station area in the district’s trans- Ganga region, for hacking to death his neighbour Kullu on May 13, 2005.
- JULY 29, 2009BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 5 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE AND MURDER
five men were sentenced to death in Bangladesh for raping and murdering a woman.
- JULY 28, 2009IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - Illinois. Brian Dugan Pleaded Guilty to Crime That Sent Two Innocent Men to Death Row
USA - Illinois. Brian Dugan Pleaded Guilty to Crime That Sent Two Innocent Men to Death Row
- JULY 28, 2009OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oklahoma. A Tulsa County judge sentenced Raymond Eugene Johnson to die
USA - Oklahoma. A Tulsa County judge sentenced Raymond Eugene Johnson to die
- JULY 27, 2009ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. Shawn Grell was sentenced to death today
USA - Arizona. Shawn Grell was sentenced to death today
- JULY 25, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
in Pattoki, Pakistan, Additional Sessions Judge Manzoor Hussain...
in Pattoki, Pakistan, Additional Sessions Judge Manzoor Hussain...
JULY 25, 2009EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER ON TRAIN
five young Egyptians were sentenced to death for hurling a teenager to his death
- JULY 24, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: EXECUTION OF DELHI GIRL MURDER CONVICT STAYED
the execution in India of the son of a Delhi Police sub inspector, who was sentenced to death for murdering his girl friend...
JULY 24, 2009KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR STEALING SH40
two people were sentenced to death by a Malindi court in Kenya for violently robbing a
- JULY 23, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR DRINK DRIVING DEATHS
a court in southwest China handed the death penalty to an unlicensed drunk driver who killed four people in Chengdu on December 14, 2008.
- JULY 23, 2009IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH ROW PRISONER GOES FREE AFTER APPEAL
an Indonesian businessman sentenced to death for drug trafficking in Malaysia was freed by the Federal Court.
- JULY 22, 2009JapanDEATH PENALTY
WOMAN ON JAPANESE DEATH-ROW ASKS FOR RETRIAL
a Japanese housewife sentenced to death for killing four people and poisoning 63 with arsenic-laced curry more than a decade ago asked for a retrial, a court official said.
- JULY 22, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: SARABJIT SINGH FILES FRESH APPLICATION IN SUPREME COURT
a fresh application has been filed before the Pakistan Supreme Court seeking review of its decision to dismiss the Indian death row inmate Sarabjit Singh's petition challenging his death penalty.
- JULY 21, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MAN AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE IN MURDER CASE
in Pakistan, Additional District and Sessions Judge Mahrukh Tarar awarded the death sentence to Haji Iftikhar and fined him Rs50,000.
- JULY 21, 2009IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: NINE WOMEN FACE IMMINENT EXECUTION
Amnesty International reported that at least three women have been executed since early June.
- JULY 19, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
TWO JUNDULLAH TERRORIST ON DEATH ROW IN IRAN
Iran sentenced two Jundullah militants to death in the southeast province of Sistan-Baluchestan for terrorism and being an enemy of god.
- JULY 18, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
additional and sessions judge C.Taanti of the Tenughat court in Bokaro...
additional and sessions judge C.Taanti of the Tenughat court in Bokaro...
- JULY 17, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
BELARUS: GUNMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER PAYROLL ROBBERY
a judge of the Minsk Regional Court in Belarus sentenced a 25-year-old man to death
- JULY 17, 2009CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge James R. Dabney sentenced Ricky Madison to death
USA - California. Judge James R. Dabney sentenced Ricky Madison to death
- JULY 15, 2009ConnecticutDEATH PENALTY
USA - Connecticut. A jury recommended the death sentence for Richard Roszkowski
USA - Connecticut. A jury recommended the death sentence for Richard Roszkowski
- JULY 14, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: FORMER COLLEGE STUDENT TO HANG FOR MURDERING FRIEND
a former college student and her boyfriend were sentenced to death by the Malaysian High Court for murdering her friend.
- JULY 13, 2009JordanDEATH PENALTY
JORDANIAN TO HANG FOR US DIPLOMAT'S MURDER
a military tribunal in Jordan sentenced Jordanian national Moamar al-Jaghbir to death by hanging for the 2002 murder of US diplomat Laurence Foley, a judicial official said.
- JULY 10, 2009JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN: TOP COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE ON GANGSTER FOR KILLING 4 IN SHOOTING
the Japanese Supreme Court upheld a man’s death sentence for killing a rival gang
- JULY 9, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: SALESMAN TO HANG FOR DRUGS
in Malaysia, a 41-year-old salesman was sentenced to death for trafficking in drugs.
- JULY 8, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER
in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Additional District and Sessions Judge Sajjad Hussain Sindhar awarded the death sentence to a murder case convict and imposed a Rs 0.1 million fine as compensation for family of the deceased.
- JULY 8, 2009Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: ONE DEATH PENALTY IN FIRST SAUDI "TERROR" TRIALS
A Saudi criminal court has convicted and sentenced an al-Qaida militant to death and
JULY 5, 2009GhanaDEATH PENALTYGHANA: COURT SENTENCES FARMER TO DEATH
the Ho High Court in Ghana, presided over by Mr Justice Kofi Essel Mensah,