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 12, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: INDONESIAN WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRAFFICKING METH
A Tay Ninh Province court on 9 March 2020 sentenced an Indonesian woman to death for trafficking 6.7 kg of methamphetamine over the border from Cambodia.
- MARCH 11, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING CHILD AFTER RAPE IN WARI
A Dhaka court on 9 March 2020 sentenced a man to death for murdering six-year-old Samia Afrin after raping her in Wari a year ago.
MARCH 11, 2020OhioDEATH PENALTYUSA - Ohio. Jury recommends death penalty for Jack Welninski
USA - Ohio. Jury recommends death penalty for Jack Welninski
MARCH 10, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 5 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TOYON MURDER IN KHULNA
Five people were sentenced to death and two others acquitted on 8 March 2020 over the murder of Kazi Tasfin Hossain Toyon, 32, in Khalishpur area of Khulna city in 2018.
- MARCH 10, 2020TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Lucky Ward, a serial killer, to death.
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Lucky Ward, a serial killer, to death.
- MARCH 9, 2020United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: DUO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING BROTHER
The Dubai Criminal Court on 7 March 2020 pronounced the death sentence on two Asians, who strangled their brother to death in an ‘honour killing.’
MARCH 9, 2020BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SLUCK ON DOUBLE MURDER CHARGE
A new death sentence was handed down in Belarus on 6 March 2020 after a panel of judges of the Minsk Regional Court found Viktar Skrundzik, a 29-year-old resident of a village in the Sluck district, Minsk region, guilty of murdering two elderly people
- MARCH 6, 2020FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Timothy Hurst sentenced to life in prison without parole.
USA - Florida. Timothy Hurst sentenced to life in prison without parole.
MARCH 6, 2020IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: ISIS RAPIST SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Iraqi court on 2nd March 2020 sentenced to death a former Islamic State militant who repeatedly raped a Yazidi captive.
MARCH 5, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF STUDENTS IN DEMRA
Dhaka’s Third Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Jayashri Samaddar on 3 March 2020 sentenced two people to death for the killing of students Faria Akhter Dola, 7, and Nusrat Jahan, 5, in Demra in 2019.
MARCH 3, 2020ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR VIRUS CHECKPOINT KILLING
A Chinese court on 1st March 2020 sentenced a man to death for fatally stabbing two officials at a checkpoint set up to control the spread of the new coronavirus outbreak.
MARCH 2, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: GUJARAT HC GIVES DEATH PENALTY TO MAN FOR RAPE & MURDER OF 3-YEAR-OLD
Death Penalty was given to a man by the Gujarat High Court accused of raping and murdering a three-year-old girl in Gujarat’s Surat in 2018, Kolkata Times 24 reported on 27 December 2019.
MARCH 2, 2020EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 37 SENTENCED TO DEATH INCLUDING TOP MILITANT LEADER
An Egyptian court on 2nd March 2020 sentenced to death 37 defendants, including one of the country’s most high-profile militants, following their conviction of terrorism-related charges.
- FEBRUARY 28, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPE-MURDER OF MINOR GIRL
A court in Maharashtra's Parbhani district on 18 February 2020 awarded death sentence to a man for raping and killing a five year-old girl, observing the crime was 'more cruel' than the act of the most dreaded animal.
FEBRUARY 28, 2020United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: COURT ORDERS EXECUTION FOR ‘PREMEDITATED MURDER’
The Ajman Criminal Court sentenced to death an Arab man for premeditatedly murdering his friend after stabbing his heart, Gulf Today reported on 27 February 2020. The parents of the victim have refused the blood money.
FEBRUARY 27, 2020VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A 31-year-old Vietnamese woman on 25 February 2020 was sentenced to death for trafficking nearly 8 kg of methamphetamine, Vietnam News Agency reported.
FEBRUARY 27, 2020IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: THAI DRUG SMUGGLERS DODGE DEATH PENALTY IN BALI
Two Thai women convicted of smuggling methamphetamine into Bali on 26 February 2020 escaped a possible death sentence on the Indonesian holiday island after a court sentenced them to 16 years in jail.
FEBRUARY 27, 2020United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: FATHER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING DAUGHTER
An Asian national was sentenced to death by the Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court after it found him guilty of sexually abusing his minor daughter, MENAFN reported on 27 February 2020.
FEBRUARY 27, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: THREE PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Pakistan on 14 February 2020 sentenced to death three people, in two different cases.
- FEBRUARY 27, 2020TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Brandon McCall to death
USA - Texas. A jury sentenced Brandon McCall to death
- FEBRUARY 27, 2020MississippiDEATH PENALTY
USA - Mississippi. A jury sentenced Willie Cory Godbolt to death.
USA - Mississippi. A jury sentenced Willie Cory Godbolt to death.
FEBRUARY 26, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: FOUR, INCLUDING SON, SENTENCED TO DEATH IN TANGAIL FOR KILLING FATHER
Tangail Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-2 Judge Farhan Ferdous on 23 February 2020 sentenced four people to death over their involment in a murder.
FEBRUARY 26, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: ONE SENTENCED TO DEATH, SEVEN TO JAIL IN IRAN SPYING CASE
A Saudi citizen was sentenced to death on 24 February 2020, with seven others facing years in jail on charges of treason and espionage on behalf of Iran, state television reported on 25 February.
- FEBRUARY 26, 2020FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Jury recommends death sentence for Marlin Joseph
USA - Florida. Jury recommends death sentence for Marlin Joseph
- FEBRUARY 25, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: WIFE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HUSBAND IN KANO
A Kano State High Court on 21 February 2020 sentenced one Rashida Saidu to death by hanging for killing her husband, Adamu Ali.
FEBRUARY 25, 2020PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING THREE POLICEMEN
Rawalpindi Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on 24 February 2020 awarded an accused six time death penalty and 74 years imprisonment.
FEBRUARY 25, 2020EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 8 EXECUTED IN ONE DAY
Eight men were executed on 24 February 2020 in Egypt in what is thought to be the first death sentences carried out in the country so far in 2020.
- FEBRUARY 25, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Arabia sentences 1 to death, 7 to jail in Iran spying case.
SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Arabia sentences 1 to death, 7 to jail in Iran spying case.
- FEBRUARY 25, 2020IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Saudi Arabia sentences 1 to death, 7 to jail in Iran spying case.
IRAN - Saudi Arabia sentences 1 to death, 7 to jail in Iran spying case.
FEBRUARY 24, 2020IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE NOVEMBER PROTESTERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Revolutionary Court in Tehran has sentenced three people arrested in the heat of anti-government protests last November to death, Radio Farda reported on 23 February 2020.