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
MARCH 14, 2023IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SEVEN RAPE CONVICTS GOT DEATH PENALTIES WITHIN 100 DAYS IN SURAT, SAYS GUJARAT HOME MINISTER
Within 100 days, seven persons have been given death penalty in rape cases in Surat, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi told the state legislature on 11 March 2023.
MARCH 12, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Supreme court has upheld the death sentence of Habib Farajollah Chaab
MARCH 6, 2023Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO NATIONALS EXECUTED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT, MURDER OFFENSES
Saudi Arabia has executed two nationals for sexual assault and murder offenses, the interior ministry said on 4 March 2023.
MARCH 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Death sentences for 6 Men Over Attacks In Southwest
Ali Mojadam, Mohammad Reza Moghadam, Moein Khanfari, Habib Deris, Adnan Ghobishavi and Salem Mousavi.
MARCH 2, 2023Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER 2003 MURDER
The Colombo High Court on 1st March 2023 sentenced four accused to death after finding them guilty of killing a person using a sharp knife.
MARCH 1, 2023PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING WOMAN
A court in Pakistan on 24 February 2023 sentenced a man to death for murdering a woman in limits of Attock City police station on 12 April 2022.
MARCH 1, 2023IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: COURT AWARDS DEATH PENALTY TO 7 IN 2017 BHOPAL-UJJAIN TRAIN BLAST CASE
National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court on 28 February 2023 gave death sentences verdict to seven out of eight convicts in the 2017 Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train blast case.
FEBRUARY 28, 2023JordanDEATH PENALTYJORDAN: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER ISLAMIC STATE LINKS
A Jordanian court on 22 February 2023 sentenced three people to death by hanging on charges of belonging to the Islamic State group and staging two bombing attacks, an AFP correspondent said.
FEBRUARY 28, 2023TennesseeDEATH PENALTYUSA - Tennessee. SB 1152 to execute by firing squad passes the House Committee
- FEBRUARY 27, 2023MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: ODD-JOB WORKER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF FRIEND
An odd-job worker, who was charged with the murder of his friend after he was found living with the corpse for a week, was sentenced to death on 21 February 2023 by the Ipoh High Court.
FEBRUARY 26, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH IN ONDO FOR KILLING COUPLE
The Ondo State High Court in Akure on 14 February 2023 sentenced Messrs Ayuba Idris and Tasur Abubakar to death by hanging for killing a couple.
FEBRUARY 24, 2023FloridaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Steven Lorenzo Sentenced To Death
FEBRUARY 24, 2023CaliforniaDEATH PENALTYUSA - California. Jose Larin-Garcia sentenced to death
- FEBRUARY 23, 2023IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA: EX-POLICE GENERAL SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ORDERING OFFICER’S MURDER
A former police general found guilty of ordering the killing of his bodyguard and covering up the murder was sentenced to death by a Jakarta court on 13 February 2023.
- FEBRUARY 22, 2023Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: FOUR POLICE OFFICERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
The Hambantota High Court on 15 February 2023 sentenced to death four Police officers, including an Officer-in-Charge (OIC) over the death of an individual during a raid on a gambling den in Thissamaharamaya.
FEBRUARY 21, 2023Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: TWO MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR GRANDPASS MURDER BACK IN 2008
Colombo High Court Judge Mahesh Weeraman sentenced to death two men who were found guilty of hacking death a man in 2008, News 1st reported on 15 February 2023.
FEBRUARY 20, 2023BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: TWO BROTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR WAR CRIMES HELD
Rapid Action Battalion arrested two death-row fugitive war criminals, who committed crimes against humanity during the Liberation War, from Dhaka's Mohammadpur and Mugda areas on 16 February 2023 night.
FEBRUARY 20, 2023GermanyDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Jamshid Sharmahd sentenced to death
Iranian-German dissident kidnapped from the UAE
- FEBRUARY 19, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Two protesters sentenced to death
Mansour and Nizamaldin Hut (Hoot)
FEBRUARY 16, 2023EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH, 11 OTHERS TO LIFE ON TERROR CHARGES
The First Terrorism Circuit at Egypt's State Security Criminal Court on 7 February 2023 sentenced a man to death by hanging, and 11 others to life imprisonment, three defendants to 15 years imprisonment and three defendants to ten years over various terro
FEBRUARY 16, 2023Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO SHIITE CITIZENS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Two Shiite citizens were sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia on 7 February 2023 for allegedly collaborating with terrorist groups.
FEBRUARY 15, 2023AlabamaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Alabama. Jason Michael Osborn, 44, White, sentenced to death on February 15
FEBRUARY 14, 2023Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTYDR CONGO: SEVEN SOLDIERS GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR COWARDICE AGAINST M23 REBELS
A military court in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo on 11 February 2023 sentenced seven soldiers to death for cowardice in the face of the enemy and murder.
FEBRUARY 9, 2023Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR STABBING ANOTHER 16 TIMES, AND KILLING HIM
The Colombo High Court on 7 February 2023 sentenced to death a father of two who was found guilty of killing a young man suspected of having an affair with his wife.
FEBRUARY 8, 2023BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING WIFE OVER DOWRY IN SATKHIRA
A Satkhira court on 5 February 2023 sentenced a man to death for killing his wife in 2014 for dowry.
FEBRUARY 8, 2023Trinidad & TobagoDEATH PENALTYTRINIDAD: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING 2-YEAR-OLD SON
A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to death in Trinidad and Tobago for fatally beating his two-year-old son in 2008.
FEBRUARY 7, 2023KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: FORMER POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A Kenyan former policeman on 3 February 2023 was sentenced to death for the murder of a human rights lawyer, his client and a taxi driver.
FEBRUARY 7, 2023IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: GORAKHNATH TEMPLE ATTACKER SENTENCED TO DEATH IN UP
A special court in Lucknow on 30 January 2023 awarded the death penalty to a man who was booked for waging war against the government after he assaulted a Uttar Pradesh armed police force's jawan at the Gorakhnath temple.
- FEBRUARY 6, 2023GuyanaDEATH PENALTY
GUYANA COURT SENTENCES TWO PIRATES TO DEATH FOR 2018 ATTACK
A Guyanese court on 31 January 2023 handed down death sentences for two men found guilty of high seas piracy attacks that killed seven fishermen off the nation’s coast in 2018.
FEBRUARY 6, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: TWO OFFICERS OF DISBANDED POLICE UNIT SENTENCED TO DEATH IN RIVERS STATE
Two former officers of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on 3 February 2023 were sentenced to death by hanging in Rivers state for the killing of Michael Akor and Michael Igwe, while in their custody.