Death sentences
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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
MARCH 12, 2024PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MURDER CONVICT SENTENCED TO DEATH
The court of Attock on March 3, 2024 sentenced a murder convict to death for killing his brother in law.
- MARCH 10, 2024Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTY
MYANMAR: JUNTA IMPOSES MULTIPLE DEATH SENTENCES ON ACTIVISTS
Myanmar’s military junta on February 29, 2024 sentenced seven people to death – five of them for the second or third time.
MARCH 7, 2024BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MADRASA TEACHER GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPING 4 CHILDREN
A Chittagong court on February 18, 2024 sentenced a madrasa teacher to death for raping four children of the institution.
MARCH 7, 2024IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: TRANSGENDER SENTENCED TO DEATH IN 2021 RAPE, MURDER OF INFANT IN MUMBAI
A special court in Mumbai has sentenced a transgender person to death after finding them guilty of abducting, raping and murdering a three-month-old girlchild, India Today reported on February 28, 2024.
MARCH 7, 2024IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hadi Hadi Khanlu executed in Zanjan on March 7
MARCH 6, 2024SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES SIX MOROCCANS TO DEATH FOR TERRORISM
A military court in northern Somalia on February 29, 2024 sentenced six Moroccan nationals to death on terrorism charges.
MARCH 6, 2024VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRADING DRUGS, EYEING 50% PROFIT
A court in Nghe An Province has sentenced a man to death and a woman accomplice to 20 years in prison for selling 4.3 kg of drugs.
MARCH 5, 2024IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - IHR 2023 year report: 834 executions
Hands off Cain counted 883
MARCH 5, 2024EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: MB LEADERS BADIE, EL BELTAGY SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ‘PLATFORM INCIDENTS’ CASE
An Egyptian court sentenced on March 4, 2024, Muslim Brotherhood leaders Mohamed Badie, Mohamed El-Beltagy, and 6 others to death in Case No. 72 of 2021, also known as the “Platform Incidents” case.
MARCH 4, 2024EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: DOCTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING 93 PATIENTS
An Egyptian doctor has been sentenced to death by hanging after being convicted of raping 93 patients, Gulf News reported on March 2, 2024.
MARCH 4, 2024KuwaitDEATH PENALTYKUWAIT: APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR WOMAN BEHIND FATAL WEDDING TENT FIRE
Kuwait Court of Appeals on March 1, 2024 confirmed a death sentence for Nasra al Enezi, found guilty of igniting a fire at a wedding tent, resulting in the loss of 57 lives, primarily women and children.
MARCH 4, 2024IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Iman … and Mostafa Jamil Samadi executed in Shiraz on March 4
FEBRUARY 28, 2024PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Pennsylvania. Daniel Gwynn exonerated and released after 30 years on death row
FEBRUARY 27, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: A TERRORIST SENTENCED TO DEATH, DRUG DEALERS GET LIFE IMPRISONMENT
The Supreme Judicial Council stated on February 26, 2024 that a terrorist had been given the death penalty for setting off a car bomb close to the Prophet Ayyub 's shrine.
FEBRUARY 27, 2024IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: EX-WRESTLING COACH SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING 6 PEOPLE IN FEB 2021
A court in Haryana’s Rohtak district on February 23, 2024 sentenced a former wrestling coach to death for killing six people, including a four-year-old boy, in February 2021.
FEBRUARY 27, 2024ArizonaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Arizona. Jury sentences Gustin Woodman to death
FEBRUARY 26, 2024BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 11 TO DIE FOR KILLING SCHOOL STUDENT IN JOYPURHAT 21YRS AGO
A court in Joypurhat on January 31, 2024 sentenced 11 people to death for killing a ninth grader in Sadar upazila 21 years ago.
FEBRUARY 25, 2024ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: 18 SENTENCED TO DEATH, 1 GETS LIFE IN PRISON BRAWL CASE
Eighteen individuals on February 22, 2024 received the death penalty with one sentenced to life imprisonment in a landmark ruling at the Thong Pha Phum Provincial Court in Kanchanaburi province.
FEBRUARY 20, 2024Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTYMYANMAR: 3 BRIGADIER GENERALS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SURRENDERING TOWN
Myanmar's junta has sentenced to death three brigadier generals who surrendered with hundreds of troops and handed over a strategic town on the Chinese border to ethnic minority fighters last month, military sources told AFP on February 19, 2024.
FEBRUARY 19, 2024IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: SULAIMANI COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH FOR KILLING WIFE
A Sulaimani court on February 18, 2024 sentenced a man to death for burning his wife alive nearly two years ago
FEBRUARY 19, 2024IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS DEATH IN 2014 DOUBLE MURDER CASE
A court of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has sentenced a man to death in a 10-year-old double murder case – the first time capital punishment has been given in Maharajganj district, a lawyer said on February 19, 2024.
FEBRUARY 19, 2024IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Iraj Paaki executed in Urmia on February 19
FEBRUARY 16, 2024FloridaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Markas Fishburne sentenced to death
FEBRUARY 15, 2024PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: THREE MURDER CONVICTS AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE
Three murder convicts were awarded death sentence in three different murder cases in Wah and Attock on February 2, 2024, a police spokesman said.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2024IndiaDEATH PENALTY
QATAR RELEASES FORMER INDIAN NAVY OFFICERS AFTER DROPPING DEATH SENTENCES
Qatar has released eight former Indian naval officers previously sentenced to death on charges of spying for Israel.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2024IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 4 Baloch political prisoners sentenced to death
Eidou Shahbakhsh, Abdul Ghani Shahbakhsh, Abdol Rahim Qanbarzahi Gargij, and Suleiman Shahbakhsh
FEBRUARY 12, 2024IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Political prisoner Mohammad Javad Vafaei Sani could be executed soon
- FEBRUARY 12, 2024TanzaniaDEATH PENALTY
TANZANIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER MURDER
The High Court of Kigoma on February 2, 2024 sentenced Kigoma Ujiji municipal resident Peter Mwandelema to be hanged to death after being found guilty of intentionally killing seven people of the same family in 2022.
FEBRUARY 12, 2024IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Man Sentenced to Death Over of Killing Filmmaker Mehrjui
Unidentified
- FEBRUARY 11, 2024IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: AT 561, NUMBER OF DEATH ROW PRISONERS AT A 19-YEAR HIGH
The number of prisoners on death row has risen to 561 in 2023, which is the highest in 19 years.