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
- DECEMBER 27, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MULTIPLE MURDER IN GUIZHOU
a man was sentenced to death for murdering a county head, four of his relatives and a nursemaid in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
- DECEMBER 27, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MOTHER, DAUGHTER AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF DOCTOR
at an ad hoc court in Pune, India, Additional Sessions Judge Vilas Patil sentenced a mother and daughter to death for kidnapping and murdering a doctor for a ransom of Rs 25 lakh
- DECEMBER 26, 2007North KoreaDEATH PENALTY
North Korean authorities sentenced three people involved in handling movies
North Korean authorities sentenced three people involved in handling movies
- DECEMBER 25, 2007JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN: DEATH SENTENCES UPHELD FOR WOMAN AND SON IN FUKUOKA
at the Fukuoka High Court in Japan, Presiding Judge Katsuhiko Masaki upheld the death sentences of Mami Kitamura, 48, and her 23 year old son Takahiro for murdering four people in Omuta, Fukuoka Prefecture, in 2004. The Fukuoka District Court's Kurume bra
- DECEMBER 19, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA DEATH FOR MURDER OF AIDS COUNSELLOR
a local court in Jabalpur, India...
- DECEMBER 19, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN CHINA FOR MURDER
a government official and his two accomplices were sentenced to death in China for murder...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINESE COUPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR FORCING PUPILS INTO PROSTITUTION
China's most wanted couple were sentenced to death in southwest China's Guizhou Province for forcing 23 girls...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007LebanonDEATH PENALTY
LEBANON: DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED
a court in Beirut sentenced Lebanese national Youssef al-Hajj Dib to death in absentia for his involvement in an attempt to blow up two trains in Germany in July 2006.
- DECEMBER 17, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: DRUG LORD SENTENCED TO DEATH
“drug kingpin” Mohammed Samoon Mohammed Shiyam, convicted for possessing nine kgs of pure heroin...
- DECEMBER 14, 2007VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM. EIGHT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HEROIN TRAFFICKING
a Vietnamese court sentenced eight people to death for smuggling heroin, raising
- DECEMBER 13, 2007FloridaDEATH PENALTY
Circuit Judge Lisa Davidson sentenced James Phillip Barnes to death for the 1988 beating...
Circuit Judge Lisa Davidson sentenced James Phillip Barnes to death for the 1988 beating, rape and murder of Patricia Miller.
- DECEMBER 13, 2007North KoreaDEATH PENALTY
NORTH KOREAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR PEOPLE TRAFFICKING
a closed tribunal in North Korea sentenced a man...
- DECEMBER 12, 2007LouisianaDEATH PENALTY
a Caddo Parish jury took 90 minutes to convict Richard Davis of aggravated rape...
a Caddo Parish jury took 90 minutes to convict Richard Davis of aggravated rape...
- DECEMBER 11, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA MAID'S "FORCED CONFESSION" MAY STILL BE USED IN DEATH PENALTY APPEAL: AHRC
an Asian human rights body expressed concern that an allegedly coerced confession by a Sri Lankan domestic worker sentenced to death for murder in Saudi Arabia may still be used against her in an appeal of the verdict to a higher court.
- DECEMBER 10, 2007MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
MOROCCO CONSIDERS ENDING DEATH PENALTY
Morocco's justice minister says his country is on the verge of abolishing capital punishment.
- DECEMBER 10, 2007GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA: TABARA SAMBA APPEALS AGAINST DEATH SENTENCE VERDICT
a few months after the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court sentenced her to death...
- DECEMBER 8, 2007YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: THREE OFFICERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING SHEIK
Judge Yahia al-Thari from the West Penal Court in Taiz, Yemen, sentenced three of the accused to death for the murder of Sheikh Abdu al-Salam al-Qaisi. Sheikhs and other prominent individuals from the Sharab district were united in demanding that the eigh
- DECEMBER 6, 2007KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MAN'S KILLER GETS DEATH SENTENCE
a man found guilty of killing a male friend of his brother's widow was sentenced to death in Kenya
- DECEMBER 5, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR PAIR WHO KILLED EIGHT IN CRIME SPREE
two men were sentenced to death after going on a nationwide crime spree in which they killed eight people, including a two year old boy, state press said.
- DECEMBER 3, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN SENTENCED DEATH FOR BURNING PREGNANT GIRL
a man was sentenced to death by the Shenyang Intermediate People's Court in China for burning his pregnant girlfriend because the child she was carrying was a girl.
- DECEMBER 2, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. GAY YOUTH SENTENCED TO DEATH
a gay Iranian youth was sentenced to death for the crime of "lavat" (literally, sodomy), for having sex at 1
- NOVEMBER 29, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
TWO FROM ANDHRA PRADESH SENTENCED TO DEATH IN UAE
TWO FROM ANDHRA PRADESH SENTENCED TO DEATH IN UAE
- NOVEMBER 28, 2007SudanDEATH PENALTY
SUDAN. EXECUTION STAYED FOR CONVICTED RAPISTS
two Sudanese men sentenced to die in Khartoum for raping and murdering a four year old girl escaped the
- NOVEMBER 27, 2007AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN. HERAT MILITARY COURT SENTENCES TWO SOLDIERS TO DEATH
a military court in Herat City in western Afghanistan condemned two soldiers to
- NOVEMBER 26, 2007BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH. MAN TO GO TO GALLOWS FOR KILLING WIFE IN RAJSHAHI
at the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Rajshahi,
- NOVEMBER 25, 2007AlgeriaDEATH PENALTY
ALGERIA: 2 GSPC MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION
a criminal court in Tizi Ouzou, 100 km east of Algiers in Algeria...
- NOVEMBER 22, 2007BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: YOUNG MAN TO WALK GALLOWS FOR MURDER
a young man was awarded the death penalty in Bangladesh for the murder of a mobile shop operator in Pabna town for refusing tolls in March last year.
- NOVEMBER 22, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
at a local court in India...
at a local court in India, District and Sessions Judge GK Rai sentenced a man to death who was convicted of murdering his daughter and wife
- NOVEMBER 22, 2007KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: BANANA HAWKER TO HANG FOR VIOLENT ROBBERY
a banana vendor was sentenced to death in Kenya for violently robbing a nurse in Kirinyaga District two years ago
- NOVEMBER 21, 2007UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA: THREE SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
a court martial in Uganda sentenced three soldiers to death by hanging after finding them guilty of murdering two civilians in Kiruhura district