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 30, 2006BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH. FIVE PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
a court in Narayanganj, Bangladesh, sentenced five people to death
- JANUARY 30, 2006AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
AFGHANISTAN. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING OF JOURNALISTS
Afghanistan's Supreme Court upheld the death sentence handed to Mohammad Reza for his involvement in the death of four journalists in 2001.
- JANUARY 30, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. TWO PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE AND MURDER OF GIRL
an Additional Sessions court in Chatra, India, sentenced Charku Bhuiyan and Dhaneswar Bhuiyan to death
- JANUARY 29, 2006BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH. MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH AND TWO OTHERS TO LIFE FOR MURDER OF TRADER
the Speedy Trial Tribunal of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, sentenced Akter Hossain, 40, to death and Dulal and Anwar, both 35, to life imprisonment for the murder of cloth trader Afsar Ali.
- JANUARY 28, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SERIAL RAPE
an Iranian man was convicted and sentenced to death for kidnapping and raping an estimated 340 young girls, media reports said.
- JANUARY 27, 2006BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH. FUGITIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH ARRESTED IN MUNSHIGANJ
Faruq, a fugitive who had been sentenced to death on July 12, 2005, was arrested near his home in Bagra village in Bangladesh’s Srinagar district
- JANUARY 25, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. OFFICIALS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BRIBERY
two former Heilongjiang government officials linked to the bribes-for-jobs case were sentenced to death in Harbin, China.
- JANUARY 23, 2006United States Armed ForcesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED STATES. US MILITARY ISSUES NEW EXECUTION REGULATIONS
the US Army has issued new regulations governing the death penalty, raising speculation that the military might be preparing for its first execution since 1961.
- JANUARY 23, 2006KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
THE PHILIPPINES. DIPLOMATS TOLD TO SAVE MAID FROM EXECUTION IN KUWAIT
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered Philippine diplomats to do everything they could to save a Filipina teacher who was set to hang in Kuwait for killing her boss there.
- JANUARY 23, 2006TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN. DEATH ROW INMATE COMMITS SUICIDE, ‘WAITING FOR EXECUTION TOO PAINFUL’
a death row prisoner in Taiwan committed suicide due to being unable to bear the pain of waiting for the execution.
- JANUARY 20, 2006VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM. FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SMUGGLING DRUGS INTO VIETNAM
a court in Hanoi sentenced five people to death and four others to life imprisonment for trafficking 24 kg of heroin into Vietnam from Laos.
- JANUARY 19, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
Allahyar Mohammed Ali and Akmal were sentenced to death for murder during a house robbery by the 1st Additional Sessions Court in Hyderabad, India.
- JANUARY 17, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. TWO PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN INNER MONGOLIA
an Inner Mongolia court sentenced a college president to death for hiring a man to kill his former employee.
- JANUARY 16, 2006United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
UNITED KINGDOM. DON’T EXECUTE MY DAUGHTERS KILLERS, MOTHER OF BRITISH BACKPACKER
Wichai Somkhaoyai, and Bualoi Posit, the two Thai fisherman who raped and murdered British backpacker Katherine Horton should be spared the death penalty but locked up for life, the victim's mother said.
- JANUARY 16, 2006VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM. FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a Vietnamese court sentenced five people including a woman to death for trafficking drugs, a court official said.
- JANUARY 16, 2006ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND. TWO FOREIGN NATIONALS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG CRIMES
Lin Hau Yang and Edy Tang, on death row in Bangkok, had their death sentences for drug convictions confirmed by the Thai high court, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said.
- JANUARY 15, 2006CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
CALIFORNIA, USA. OLD, BLIND, CRIPPLED - AND FIT FOR EXECUTION, SCHWARZENEGGER REJECTS CLEMENCY PLEA
California's Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has denied clemency to the oldest prisoner on California's Death Row, saying a murderer's life should not be spared because he is old and ill.
- JANUARY 13, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. POLICEMAN AWARDED CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN CUSTODIAL DEATH IN BIHAR
a court in Bihar, India, sentenced a Home Guard to death and sentenced three others to life in connection with a custodial death on November 17, 1996.
- JANUARY 12, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. DEATH PENALTY FOR MAN WHO RAPED AND STRANGLED 11-YR-OLD GIRL
the Sewri Fast Track Court, Mumbai , India, sentenced 35-year-old Arjun Jogadiya to be hanged till death for raping and murdering his 11-year-old neighbour in 2004.
- JANUARY 11, 2006United StatesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED STATES. SUPREME COURT TAKES UP FIRST DEATH ROW DNA CASE
the US Supreme Court for the first time heard an appeal by a death row inmate using new DNA evidence to proclaim his innocence and demand a retrial. The court's verdict, expected by mid 2006, will do more than seal the fate of convicted murderer Paul Hous
- JANUARY 11, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. MAN WITH DEATH PENALTY PRONOUNCED INNOCENT
a farmer given the death penalty after being convicted of the rape and murder of two girls was cleared after three trials.
- JANUARY 10, 2006BelarusDEATH PENALTY
BELARUS. MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF THREE IN MINSK REGION
a man was sentenced to death and his minor accomplice to 15 years imprisonment after the Minsk Regional Court, Belarus, found them guilty of committing three murders.
- JANUARY 6, 2006BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH. MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER OF WIFE
it was reported that Rouf Mollah, a man sentenced to death for killing his wife, was to be executed at Jessore central jail, Bangladesh, at 1 minute past midnight.
- JANUARY 5, 2006YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN. KIDNAPPERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Yemeni government had sentenced to death several people convicted of kidnapping tourists recently, the Yemen Observer reported. Quoting government sources, it said that all those convicted of kidnapping travelers would receive the same punishment.
- JANUARY 5, 2006BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
LIBYA. 'DON'T FORGET US' BEGS JAILED BULGARIAN NURSE IN LIBYA
"Don't forget us," Bulgarian nurse Kristiana Vulcheva who was behind bars accused of infecting Libyan children with the AIDS virus begged during a prison visit by the French foreign minister.
- JANUARY 1, 2006Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTY
In Palestinian areas three types of legislation are applied.
In Palestinian areas three types of legislation are applied.
- JANUARY 1, 2006PakistanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is imposed for several crimes...
The death penalty is imposed for several crimes...
- JANUARY 1, 2006Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that prescribes the death sentence for murder...
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that prescribes the death sentence for murder, apostasy, rape, drug trafficking, highway robbery, sabotage and armed robbery.
- JANUARY 1, 2006UzbekistanDEATH PENALTY
With the introduction of law No. 482-II on April 25...
With the introduction of law No. 482-II on April 25...
- JANUARY 1, 2006MoroccoDEATH PENALTY
Morocco retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes and military crimes.
Morocco retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes and military crimes..