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
- JANUARY 28, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER
an Additional District and Sessions Judge in Pakistan awarded a death sentence to a murder convict and imposed a Rs100,000 fine on him.
- JANUARY 28, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER
a man was sentenced to death for murder by Additional District and Sessions Judge Rana Muhammad Yousaf and imposed a Rs100,000 fine on him.
- JANUARY 27, 2009PakistanDEATH PENALTY
DUBAI COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH FOR KILLING SECURITY GUARD
the Court of First Instance in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, sentenced a Pakistani to death
- JANUARY 27, 2009FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. In Bartow, a jury recommended 7-5 that Jamail Hogan should be executed
USA - Florida. In Bartow, a jury recommended 7-5 that Jamail Hogan should be executed
- JANUARY 23, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR TRAFFICKING MORPHINE, HEROIN
the High Court in Malaysia sentenced a 41-year-old man to death after finding him guilty of drug trafficking. Justice Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi passed sentence on Ng Pak Nang, from Jalan Daud, under Section 39B(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
- JANUARY 23, 2009AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta reinstated the death sentence for Billy Joe Magwood
USA - Alabama. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta reinstated the death sentence for Billy Joe Magwood
- JANUARY 22, 2009DEATH PENALTY
OKLAHOMA (USA): MAN CONVICTED OF KILLING TULSA CLERK PUT TO DEATH
A man convicted of beating a convenience store clerk to death with a baseball bat
- JANUARY 22, 2009AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Circuit Judge Joseph "Rusty" Johnston ordered the execution of Donald Whatley
USA - Alabama. Circuit Judge Joseph "Rusty" Johnston ordered the execution of Donald Whatley
- JANUARY 21, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the Karnataka High court in India admitted an appeal by some jailed Deendar Anjuman activists against the death sentence awarded to 11 of them for their role in the church blasts that rocked Karnataka in 2000
the Karnataka High court in India admitted an appeal by some jailed Deendar Anjuman activists against the death sentence awarded to 11 of them for their role in the church blasts that rocked Karnataka in 2000
- JANUARY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRANIAN KURDISTAN: WOMAN CONDEMNED TO DEATH
Kurdish political prisoner Ms. Zaynab Jalalian aged 27, was condemned to death by Kermanshah Revolutionary Court in Iranian Kurdistan
- JANUARY 20, 2009UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDAN PRESIDENT PARDONS EX-MINISTER JAILED FOR 20 YEARS
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni pardoned Chris Rwakisisi, who was serving a death
- JANUARY 20, 2009CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Benjamin Wayne Watta, 63, black, was sentenced to death
USA - California. Benjamin Wayne Watta, 63, black, was sentenced to death
- JANUARY 19, 2009JordanDEATH PENALTY
JORDAN WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HUSBAND
a Jordanian woman, 31, was sentenced to death by the criminal court for murdering her husband, a judicial official said.
- JANUARY 19, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
SC QUESTIONS NHRC RECOMMENDATION FOR CLEMENCY TO DEATH ROW CONVICT
the Indian Supreme Court saw red over the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recommending clemency to a condemned prisoner, terming it not a fit case for a life sentence.
- JANUARY 18, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: ‘HANGING’ IN LIMBO: 11 AWAIT EXECUTION OF DEATH PENALTY
11 people awarded the death penalty by various courts in Haryana, India, have been waiting several years for their appeals to be heard
- JANUARY 17, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
the former head of a university in Zhejiang province, China, was sentenced to death, suspended for two years
the former head of a university in Zhejiang province, China, was sentenced to death, suspended for two years
- JANUARY 17, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
a lorry attendant in Malaysia was sentenced to death by the High Court after he was found guilty of murdering a 47 year old businesswoman five years ago
a lorry attendant in Malaysia was sentenced to death by the High Court after he was found guilty of murdering a 47 year old businesswoman five years ago
- JANUARY 16, 2009CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge Susan M. Speer sentenced Paul Wesley Baker to death
USA - California. Judge Susan M. Speer sentenced Paul Wesley Baker to death
- JANUARY 15, 2009ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. Wayne Prince was sentenced to death
USA - Arizona. Wayne Prince was sentenced to death
- JANUARY 13, 2009YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMENI COURT SENTENCES MAN TO PUBLIC EXECUTION FOR CHILD RAPE AND MURDER
the Sana'a Criminal Court in Yemen ordered an adult executed in public for the rape and murder of an 11
- JANUARY 13, 2009ChinaDEATH PENALTY
the verdicts in a trial of three former executives of Yunnan Copper Group were announced in China, with former deputy manager Yu Weiping receiving the death sentence for his role in a corruption scandal
the verdicts in a trial of three former executives of Yunnan Copper Group were announced in China, with former deputy manager Yu Weiping receiving the death sentence for his role in a corruption scandal
- JANUARY 12, 2009AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
the Taliban said a man executed was sentenced a man to death for murder based on the verdict of their court in Ghazni city, in southern Ghazni province of Afghanistan
the Taliban said a man executed was sentenced a man to death for murder based on the verdict of their court in Ghazni city, in southern Ghazni province of Afghanistan
- JANUARY 12, 2009IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: TANDOOR MURDER: SC TO HEAR SHARMA PETITION IN APRIL
the Indian Supreme Court will hear the death sentence of former Youth Congress president Sushil Sharma’s petition in April. Former Youth Congress leader Sushil Sharma was sentenced for the murder of his wife Naina Sahni and later disposing off her body in
- JANUARY 11, 2009EgyptDEATH PENALTY
10 EGYPTIAN MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER GANG RAPE
a judge in Egypt sentenced 10 men to death for the crime of gang rape. The court heard
- JANUARY 11, 2009QatarDEATH PENALTY
QATAR: DEATH PENALTY REPRIEVE
a lower criminal court which sentenced a housewife to face the firing squad for killing her maid had a lighter sentence imposed by the Qatar Court of Appeals, which ruled that the murder was not premeditated.
- JANUARY 10, 2009NetherlandsDEATH PENALTY
the Dutch Foreign Ministry announced that the Netherlands will pay the legal costs for two Dutch citizens in Indonesia who are appealing against their death sentence for producing the party drug ecstasy
the Dutch Foreign Ministry announced that the Netherlands will pay the legal costs for two Dutch citizens in Indonesia who are appealing against their death sentence for producing the party drug ecstasy
- JANUARY 9, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN GETS DEATH FOR MURDER OF GIRLFRIEND IN HOTEL ROOM
a married shipping agent was sentenced to death by the Shah Alam High Court in Malaysia for the murder of his girlfriend.
- JANUARY 9, 2009SingaporeDEATH PENALTY
just minutes after his execution, the liver...
just minutes after his execution, the liver...
- JANUARY 8, 2009MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: MAN TO HANG FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
the Malaysian High Court sentenced a man from Aceh to death for trafficking in 491g of ganja in 2006
- JANUARY 7, 2009LouisianaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Louisiana. Patrick Kennedy, the man whose conviction led the U.S. Supreme Court to ban the death penalty for child rape, was resentenced this morning to life in prison
USA - Louisiana. Patrick Kennedy, the man whose conviction led the U.S. Supreme Court to ban the death penalty for child rape, was resentenced this morning to life in prison