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
MAY 2, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: AFTER 10 YEARS IN PRISON, INDONESIA MAIDS ON DEATH ROW FOR WITCHCRAFT RELEASED
Two Indonesian domestic workers sentenced to death for practising witchcraft against their employers' families in Saudi Arabia returned home on 24 April 2019 after their sentences were commuted, Indonesia's Foreign Ministry said.
- MAY 1, 2019United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: EXPAT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HEINOUS CRIME
Sharjah Criminal Court sentenced a man to death after being found guilty of killing two brothers inside their apartment in Sajaa Industrial Area.
APRIL 30, 2019ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: CANADIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG OFFENCES
A Chinese court sentenced a Canadian national to death on 30 April 2019 for producing and trafficking methamphetamine.
- APRIL 30, 2019DEATH PENALTY
USA - Georgia. A jury sentenced Tiffany Moss, 36, Black, to death
USA - Georgia. A jury sentenced Tiffany Moss, 36, Black, to death
- APRIL 30, 2019TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Texas will no longer share death row inmate's final statements.
USA - Texas. Texas will no longer share death row inmate's final statements.
- APRIL 27, 2019TunisiaDEATH PENALTY
TUNISIA: PRESS RELEASE ON THE TRAINING FOR JUDGES AND PRISON ADMINISTRATION STAFF ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE DEATH PENALTY
The Arab Institute for Human Rights has organized a training session in Hammamet, on 20 and 21 April 2019, for judges and representatives of prison institutions on the role of the judge and the prison administration between human rights and the death pena
- APRIL 26, 2019IraqDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ HANDS DOWN DEATH PENALTY FOR IS TERRORIST OVER DEADLY CARBOMB BLAST
An Iraqi court has sentenced an Islamic State militant to death over his involvement in a deadly car bomb attack in the province of Diyala, iraqinews.com reported on 24 April 2019.
APRIL 26, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 2 MONKS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ABBOT'S KILLING
An Egyptian court on 24 April 2019 sentenced two monks to death for killing an abbot in a desert monastery north of Cairo last year.
- APRIL 23, 2019North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - North Carolina. A jury handed down a death sentence for David Isaiah Godwin
USA - North Carolina. A jury handed down a death sentence for David Isaiah Godwin
- APRIL 22, 2019ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: SCISSOR KILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DECADES-OLD DOUBLE MURDER
A man in eastern China has been sentenced to death for the decades-old murder of a woman and her young child during a violent robbery in which he only managed to steal the equivalent of a few US dollars, the Qianjiang Evening News reported on 22 April 201
APRIL 19, 2019IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: IS MEMBER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR INVOLVEMENT IN SNIPER ATTACKS
An Iraqi court has sentenced an Islamic State militant to death by hanging over his involvement in several sniper attacks in the country, Baghdad Today website quoted the Supreme Judicial Council media center as saying in a press statement on 18 April 201
APRIL 19, 2019United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: 8 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SHARJAH FOR ARMED ROBBERIES
Eight men have been sentenced to death in Sharjah on 18 April 2019 for carrying out a string of armed robberies at money exchanges and cash machines in the emirate last year.
APRIL 18, 2019AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: TWO SUSPECTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING JOURNALIST IN KANDAHAR
The Attorney General’s Office said in a statement on 16 April 2019 that two suspects were sentenced to death for killing a journalist in Kandahar.
APRIL 18, 2019NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: THREE POLICEMEN, FOUR OTHERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KIDNAPPING
An Akwa Ibom State High Court in Uyo, presided by Justice Joy Unwana has handed down death sentence to seven people, including three policemen for kidnapping, the Nation reported on 16 April 2019.
- APRIL 16, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING RU TEACHER SHAFIUL
A Rajshahi court on 15 April 2019 sentenced three people to death for killing Rajshahi University professor AKM Shafiul Islam in 2014, reports UNB.
APRIL 16, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: EGYPTIAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING ITALIAN CITIZEN IN MILAN
An Egyptian criminal court sentenced a defendant to death on 15 April 2019 for killing an Italian citizen in the city of Milano in 2013.
APRIL 15, 2019KuwaitDEATH PENALTYKUWAIT: DUO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING SHEIKH, 2 OTHERS
The court of cassation on 13 April 2019 sentenced two Iranians to death for killing a ruling family member, another Kuwaiti and an Indonesian woman in an armed robbery in 2016.
APRIL 13, 2019IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: TWO MEMBERS OF DRUG GANG GET DEATH FOR MURDERING FAMILY OF SIX IN MAKASSAR
Two members of a drug gang in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on 11 April 2019 were sentenced to death after being found guilty of murdering a family of six.
APRIL 13, 2019ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: ZHANG KOUKOU'S DEATH PENALTY SENTENCE UPHELD AFTER SECOND TRIAL
Zhang Koukou, who killed three people in revenge for his mother's death, had his death penalty sentence upheld by Shaanxi Provincial High People's Court after a second trial on 11 April 2019.
APRIL 11, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 4 TO DIE IN NATORE BCL ACTIVIST KILLING
A court in Natore on 11 April 2019 sentenced four people to death and another to life term imprisonment in a case over the killing of a BCL activist in Lalpur upazila.
- APRIL 11, 2019MississippiDEATH PENALTY
USA - Virginia. Virginia is not required to disclose information to Mississippi death-row prisoners
USA - Virginia. Virginia is not required to disclose information to Mississippi death-row prisoners
APRIL 10, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MAN TO DIE FOR KILLING WIFE IN BARGUNA
A court in Barguna on 9 April 2019 sentenced a man to death for killing his wife in 2010.
APRIL 10, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BASED SOLELY ON QASAMEH
A woman suspected of murdering her husband was sentenced to death in Iran based solely on Qasameh, the state-run ISNA news agency reported on 8 April 2019.
- APRIL 9, 2019FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury sentenced Michael Shane Bargo to death
USA - Florida. A jury sentenced Michael Shane Bargo to death
- APRIL 9, 2019TennesseeDEATH PENALTY
USA - Tennessee. Gov. Bill Lee signed a new law removing one state court's review.
USA - Tennessee. Gov. Bill Lee signed a new law removing one state court's review.
- APRIL 5, 2019ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
ZIMBABWE: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDERING LOVER
The High Court sentenced a Harare man to death by hanging on 20 March 2019 for killing his lover and her three children.
APRIL 5, 2019PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH IN DUAL MURDER CASE IN OKARA
A court on 4 April 2019 sentenced two accused to death and awarded seven years to another in a murder case in Okara. The judgment was announced by Additional Sessions Judge Mushtaq Ahmed.
APRIL 5, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SERIAL KILLER MOHAN KUMAR CONVICTED IN TWO MORE CASES, AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE
Serial Killer Mohan Kumar, who is facing 20 criminal cases, was on 27 March 2019 convicted to death sentence in two cases by Courts in Madikeri and Dakshina Kannada Districts, in the indian State of Karnataka.
- APRIL 3, 2019AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Judge Brad Almond sentenced Michael Belcher to death
USA - Alabama. Judge Brad Almond sentenced Michael Belcher to death
APRIL 3, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR RAPE, MURDER OF TWO-YEAR-OLD IN KOLKATA
The Kolkata Sessions Court on 28 March 2019 sentenced a 42-year-old man to death for rape and murder of a two-and-a-half-year-old pavement dweller in Kolkata in 2013.