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
JULY 9, 2026NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: LAGOS MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OVER WOMAN DISPUTE
JULY 8, 2026United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING OF MOTHER AND TWO DAUGHTERS IN RAS AL KHAIMAH
JULY 6, 2026ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINESE COURT HANDS FORMER LOCAL OFFICIAL RARE DEATH SENTENCE IN $324 MILLION GRAFT CASE
JULY 2, 2026PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR ‘BLASPHEMOUS’ FACEBOOK POST IN SAHIWAL
- JULY 2, 2026BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HUSBAND, DISMEMBERING BODY
APRIL 22, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mehdi Farid Executed on Espionage Charges
On April 22
- APRIL 22, 2026ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: FORMER VILLAGE HEAD SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 21 CRIMES
Huang Dafa, a former village head and businessman in Hubei province, was sentenced to death on 21 charges,
APRIL 21, 2026FloridaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Chadwick Willacy executed on April 21
8th execution in the United States in 2026
APRIL 21, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - The 117th Week of the “No to Execution Tuesdays” Campaign
APRIL 20, 2026SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: MAN EXECUTED FOR IMPORTING OVER 1KG OF CANNABIS
Convicted drug importer Omar Yacob Bamadhaj was hanged on April 16, 2026 for bringing 1,009.1g of cannabis into Singapore in July 2018.
APRIL 20, 2026IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: ISIS MEMBER SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER ATTACK ON SECURITY FORCES
Iraq’s Central Criminal Court on April 14, 2026 sentenced an ISIS member to death
APRIL 20, 2026FloridaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Jury recommends death for Johnny Calhoun
APRIL 19, 2026IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: 11 ISIS MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR PLOTTING ATTACKS ON STATE
Iraq's Central Criminal Court sentenced 11 members of an ISIS cell to death on April 7, 2026 for plotting attacks on state institutions.
APRIL 17, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Raouf Sheikh Ahmadi and Mohammad Faraji Sentenced to Death
Kurdish Protesters
APRIL 16, 2026OhioDEATH PENALTYUSA - Ohio. Charles Maxwell’s Death Sentence overturned
Under State’s Serious Mental Illness Law
APRIL 16, 2026United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Death Sentences for 18-20 Year-Olds at 20-Year Low
APRIL 16, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 Protesters Sentenced to Death
Majid Nasiri, Shahab Dadkhah + 1
- APRIL 15, 2026IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ: BAGHDAD COURT MANDATES DEATH FOR FIVE DRUG TRAFFICKERS
An Iraqi court has sentenced five drug traffickers to death after convicting them of possessing large quantities of narcotics, the Supreme Judicial Council revealed on April 15, 2026.
APRIL 13, 2026TanzaniaDEATH PENALTYTANZANIA: COURT OF APPEAL UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR CARPENTER IN LOVER’S MURDER CASE
The Court of Appeal in Arusha, Tanzania, on April 10, 2026, dismissed the appeal of Alex Julius, upholding the death sentence previously handed down by the High Court.
APRIL 13, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 4 protesters sentenced to death
Mohammadreza Majidi-Asl, Bita Hemmati, Behrouz Zamaninejad, and Kourosh Zamaninejad
APRIL 10, 2026FloridaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Shelby Nealy sentenced to death
Following the jury's recommendation
APRIL 10, 2026NebraskaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Nebraska. Jason Jones sentenced to death
APRIL 9, 2026BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: TWO EX-COPS TO BE HANGED IN ABU SAYED KILLING CASE
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on April 9, 2026 sentenced two former policemen to death and others to varying jail terms in a crimes against humanity case filed over the killing of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) student Abu Sayed.
APRIL 8, 2026TexasDEATH PENALTYUSA - Texas. James Broadnax's appeal rejected
APRIL 8, 2026BangladeshDEATH PENALTYSHEIKH HASINA ASKS BANGLADESH TRIBUNAL TO SET ASIDE DEATH SENTENCE, SEEKS FAIR TRIAL
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has demanded in a legal communication to Bangladeshi authorities that the death sentence given to her by a tribunal last year be set aside as “legally void”, and that any further proceedings against her be conducted in
APRIL 7, 2026South KoreaDEATH PENALTYSOUTH KOREA: DEATH-ROW KILLER LEE U-CHEOL DIES IN PRISON FROM CANCER
Lee U-cheol, a 'long-unexecuted death-row inmate' who killed a member trying to defect and the member's partner, died of illness while serving his sentence.
APRIL 7, 2026United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Race of Victim Effect and the Death Penalty
Killing a white person is a more serious offence than killing a black person
APRIL 6, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mohsen Eslamkhah, 19-year-old protester, sentenced to death
APRIL 6, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Yaghoub Karimpour faces imminent execution
APRIL 5, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mohammadamin Biglari and Shahin Vahedparast Executed
January 2026 Protesters