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
- OCTOBER 5, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: MAN AWARDED DEATH PENALTY FOR BURNING WIFE TO DEATH
In Rangpur, a court on 29 September 2020 sentenced Mossarraf Hossain to death for burning his wife to death after failing to realise dowry from her, about 14 years back in Monthona area of Rangpur city.
- OCTOBER 5, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The 2020–2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened, declining to review more than 30 death-penalty cases.
USA - The 2020–2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened, declining to review more than 30 death-penalty cases.
OCTOBER 3, 2020SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: SOLDIER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE OF 4 YEAR OLD GIRL IN MOGADISHU
The military court of First Instance sentenced constable Mohamed Hussein Elmi to death following charges by the Office of the Prosecutor.
OCTOBER 3, 2020TexasDEATH PENALTYUSA - Texas. Guy Allen seeking pen pal
USA - Texas. Guy Allen seeking pen pal
OCTOBER 1, 2020EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: SIX MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER KILLING POLICEMEN
An Egyptian court on 30 September 2020 sentenced six Muslim Brotherhood members to death over crimes including allegedly killing policemen in 2016, Anadolu Agency reported.
SEPTEMBER 30, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MAN TO DIE FOR KILLING WIFE, DAUGHTER IN BHOLA
A Bhola court on 29 September 2020 sentenced a man to death for killing his wife and minor daughter in Daulatkhan upazila in 2017.
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2020SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: PUNTLAND MILITARY COURT SENTENCES ACTIVISTS TO DEATH AND JAIL TERMS
A Puntland military court has sentenced an Al-Shabaab suspect to death and jailed four others after being convicted of complicity in terrorism, officials said on 27 September 2020.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: TEACHER HANDED DEATH SENTENCE FOR POISONING CHILDREN
A kindergarten teacher in China on 28 September 2020 was sentenced to death for poisoning dozens of children in an act of revenge against a colleague after a fallout, that left one toddler dead.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The Department of Justice released "Capital Punishment, 2018"
USA - The Department of Justice released "Capital Punishment, 2018"
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2020IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Arman Abdolali, who was under 18 at the time of committing the alleged murder, has been sentenced to death again
IRAN - Arman Abdolali, who was under 18 at the time of committing the alleged murder, has been sentenced to death again
SEPTEMBER 26, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MAN TO DIE FOR KILLING WIFE IN BARISHAL
A Barishal court on 24 September 2020 convicted a man and sentenced him to death for killing his wife in Hijla upazila in 2013 over dowry.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2020MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: PENANG MOTHER AND BOYFRIEND SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING HER 5-YEAR-OLD SON
The Penang High Court on 24 September 2020 sentenced a mother and her boyfriend to death for the murder of her son in 2014.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH IN FACTORY FIRE CASE
A Pakistani court on 22 September 2020 handed death sentences to two accused and life imprisonment to four others in a 2012 factory fire case, court records and lawyers said.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2020AlabamaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Alabama. Christopher Revis resentenced to life with the possibility of parole.
USA - Alabama. Christopher Revis resentenced to life with the possibility of parole.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: CHILD RAPIST SENTENCED TO DEATH THREE TIMES
The Sessions Court in Sahiwal on 21 September 2020 handed down a major verdict in the rape and murder case.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020BahrainDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 2 SENTENCED TO DEATH 18 YEARS AFTER THE MURDER OF NATORE FREEDOM FIGHTER
Two people were sentenced to death by a Natore court on 21 September 2020 for killing freedom fighter Dr Aynal Haque, also a former president of the Baraigram upazila unit Awami League in Natore.
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2020TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered that Wardrip’s death sentence be reinstated.
USA - Texas. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered that Wardrip’s death sentence be reinstated.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: DRUG MULE GETS DEATH PENALTY
A court in the north-central province of Ha Tinh sentenced a drug mule to death on 18 September 2020.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020TanzaniaDEATH PENALTYTANZANIA: HIGH COURT ORDERS HANGING OF FIVE PEOPLE FOR KILLING DR MVUNGI
The High Court in Dar es Salaam on 18 September 2020 ordered five people to be hanged to death for killing former prominent lawyer and politician, Dr Edmund Sengondo Mvungi.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: KARACHI MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN BLUE CAR ROBBERY-MURDER CASE
A model court in Karachi sentenced on 16 September 2020 a man to death in the infamous blue car robbery-murder case.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HIS 2 BROTHERS
The court of Sanaa province ruled on 15 September 2020 to execute the accused of killing two of his brothers, Mohammed al-Kuhali.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO GET DEATH IN GANG-RAPE CASE
Two rapists were handed down death sentence and a Rs200,000 fine each in Sheikhupura by Additional District and Sessions Court Judge Azhar Iqbal Ranjha on 10 September 2020.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: MALAYSIAN WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRANSPORTING DRUGS
A Vietnamese court on 24 August 2020 sentenced a Malaysian woman to death for transporting 3.3 kg of cocaine from Brazil to Vietnam.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO BROTHERS GET DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING THEIR MOTHER
Saudi Arabia has awarded on 14 September 2020 the death penalty to two Saudi brothers associated with Daesh (the so-called IS) terrorist outfit. They were convicted of killing their mother and attempting to murder their father and brother.
SEPTEMBER 16, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: BROTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER BLOODY LAND CLASH
A Vietnamese court sentenced two brothers to death and handed prison terms or probation to 27 others on 14 September 2020, for their roles in the high-profile killings of three policemen in a clash over land rights, the security ministry and a lawyer said
- SEPTEMBER 15, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 6 GET DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING COUPLE FOR LAND PROPERTY IN TANGAIL
A tribunal in Dhaka on 13 September 2020 sentenced six people to death for killing a couple -- a retired government primary school teacher and his wife -- in a bid to grab land property in Sadar upazila of Tangail in 2017.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2020YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: TWO AL-QAEDA MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Specialized Criminal Court in Sanaa upheld on 19 August 2020 the death penalty against two Al-Qaeda members.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2020KuwaitDEATH PENALTYKUWAIT: FILIPINO DEATH ROW CONVICT GETS AMIR PARDON
A Filipino who was sentenced to death in Kuwait for the murder of his Filipina partner in October 2007 has been pardoned by the nation's Amir, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on 12 September 2020.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Report Finds Rampant Government Misconduct in Death-Row Exonerations, Especially with Black Defendants.
USA - Report Finds Rampant Government Misconduct in Death-Row Exonerations, Especially with Black Defendants.
- SEPTEMBER 14, 2020ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER KINDERGARTEN KNIFE ATTACK
A court in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on 8 September 2020 handed down the death penalty to a man over a kindergarten knife attack.