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
- DECEMBER 13, 2018Papua New GuineaDEATH PENALTY
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: FATHER GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER OF BOY, 14
A father of three has been given the death penalty after being convicted of killing a 14-year-old boy in a revenge attack in West New Britain three years ago, The National reported on 11 December 2018.
DECEMBER 12, 2018NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: WIFE OF TRADITIONAL RULER SENTENCED TO DIE BY HANGING IN NASARAWA
The Nasarawa State High Court sitting in Lafia on 11 December 2018 sentenced Amina Zubairu, wife of the late monarch to death by hanging for killing her husband, NAN reports.
- DECEMBER 7, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTY
1984 ANTI-SIKH RIOTS: 1ST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE CASE – YASHPAL SINGH GETS DEATH SENTENCE
A Delhi court on 19 November 2018 awarded death penalty to one of the accused in 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. The conviction of Yashpal Singh came as first capital punishment in the case.
- DECEMBER 7, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING HIS SISTER
In a stern action against an Honor Killing case in Haryana, a court awarded death penalty to a man on 5 December 2018 who was guilty of murdering his sister.
- DECEMBER 6, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SUPREME COURT COMMUTES DEATH PENALTY OF CHHATTISGARH MAN
The Supreme Court on 28 November 2018 commuted the death penalty imposed on a Chhattisgarh man convicted of killing three people and attempting to kill a fourth.
- DECEMBER 6, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER SEYYED-DANIAL ZEINOLABEDIN SENTENCED TO DEATH
Seyed Danial ZeinolAbedini is a juvenile offender whose death sentence has been upheld by the Supreme Court and is scheduled for execution, Iran Human Rights reported on 1 December 2018.
- DECEMBER 6, 2018ConnecticutDEATH PENALTY
USA - Connecticut. State's last death row inmate, Richard Roszkowski, resentenced to life in prison.
USA - Connecticut. State's last death row inmate, Richard Roszkowski, resentenced to life in prison.
- DECEMBER 5, 2018DEATH PENALTY
TEXAS: JOSEPH CHRISTOPHER GARCIA EXECUTED
Joseph Christopher Garcia, 47, Hispanic, was executed on 4 December 2018.
DECEMBER 5, 2018IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG DEALS
Batam District Court handed down the death penalty to four Chinese nationals on 29 November 2018 night for smuggling 1.6 tons of crystal methamphetamine.
- DECEMBER 4, 2018United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAN KNIFES BOSS FOR WITHHOLDING SALARY FOR SEX, GETS DEATH PENALTY
A worker accused of killing his boss for refusing a salary increase has been sentenced to death, khaleejtimes.com reported on 29 November 2018.
- DECEMBER 4, 2018TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Joseph Christopher Garcia was executed.
USA - Texas. Joseph Christopher Garcia was executed.
DECEMBER 4, 2018VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: 13 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN TWO HEROIN TRAFFICKING CASES
Two separate trials sentenced 13 Vietnamese drug dealers to death on 30 November 2018, making them among the toughest in years.
DECEMBER 4, 2018Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: HAMAS COURT SENTENCES 6 TO DEATH FOR ‘COLLABORATING’ WITH ISRAEL
A Hamas-run military court has sentenced five Palestinians and an Israeli resident to death for “collaborating” with Israel, the Hamas-controlled Interior Ministry announced on 3 December 2018 in a memo on its official website.
- DECEMBER 3, 2018NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: AREGBESOLA PARDONS FOUR DEATH ROW PRISONERS, TWO OTHERS
The immediate past governor of Osun State, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, pardoned four inmates on death row and commuted the sentences of two others on death row to 10 years, in one of his last duties in office, punchng.com reported on 29 November 2018.
- DECEMBER 3, 2018VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: MAN WHO KILLED TWO SAIGON VIGILANTES GETS DEATH SENTENCE
A 24-year-old man who stabbed two Saigon vigilantes to death during a robbery attempt was sentenced to death on 29 November 2018.
- NOVEMBER 30, 2018FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Howard Maltz sentenced James Colley to death.
USA - Florida. Judge Howard Maltz sentenced James Colley to death.
NOVEMBER 28, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 4 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING SCHOOLBOY
A Manikganj court on 27 November 2018 sentenced four people to death and three others to life term imprisonment for killing a schoolboy at Khashrchar village in Singair, Manikganj in 2014, reports UNB.
- NOVEMBER 28, 2018ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
ZIMBABWE: SUPREME COURT CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE FOR WIFE BEHEADER
The Supreme Court on 27 November 2018 confirmed the death sentence on a Binga man who axed his wife 11 times and chopped off her head before hiding it in a cardboard box following a domestic dispute.
NOVEMBER 27, 2018NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: MAN TO DIE BY HANGING FOR BEATING MOTHER TO DEATH
A Plateau High Court, sitting in Jos, on 26 November 2018 sentenced 24-year-old Godwin Banchir, to death by hanging for beating his 65-year-old mother to death for not responding to his greetings.
NOVEMBER 26, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: 17 ISLAMIC MILITANTS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR COPTIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH KILLINGS
17 Islamic militants were sentenced to death on 22 November 2018 for their role in multiple church bombings in Egypt that killed scores of Coptic Christians.
- NOVEMBER 26, 2018OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. Death sentence for George Brinkman
USA - Ohio. Death sentence for George Brinkman
NOVEMBER 26, 2018JordanDEATH PENALTYJORDAN: CRIMINAL COURT HANDS MAN DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDERING WIFE
The Criminal Court on 22 November 2018 sentenced a 55-year-old man to death after convicting him of murdering his wife over finance and custody matters in Zarqa in April of last year.
NOVEMBER 26, 2018SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: WHITE NILE COURT SENTENCES DARFUR STUDENT TO DEATH
The Kosti criminal court in Sudan's White Nile state condemned Darfuri student Abubakar Yousef to death, and sentenced another 10 students from Darfur to prison terms, for their participation in riots at the University of Bakht El Rida in May 2017, allafr
- NOVEMBER 23, 2018United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR STABBING GUARD WITH KNIFE
A construction worker, who stabbed a security guard to death using a kitchen knife, has lost his appeal against the death sentence, khaleejtimes reported on 31 October 2018.
- NOVEMBER 23, 2018ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: XINJIANG AUTHORITIES SENTENCE UYGHUR PHILANTHROPIST TO DEATH FOR UNSANCTIONED HAJJ
Authorities in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have sentenced a prominent Uyghur businessman and philanthropist to death for taking an unsanctioned Muslim holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, according to his brother, RFA reported o
NOVEMBER 22, 2018NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: KILLERS OF BENUE CATHOLIC PRIEST SENTENCED TO DEATH
The two surviving member of a gang that kidnapped and killed a Catholic priest, Fr. John Adeyi in Benue, have been sentenced to death, Pulse reported on 20 November 2018.
NOVEMBER 22, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 7 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING ONE NINE YEARS AGO IN UTTAR PRADESH
A sessions court in Muzaffarnagar on 20 November 2018 sentenced seven persons to death for killing a man nearly nine years ago at Harsoli in the district after a clash between two groups of people over an old dispute.
NOVEMBER 21, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: CONVICT IN ANTI-SIKH RIOTS CASE SENTENCED TO DEATH
A New Delhi court on 19 November 2018 handed down a rare death sentence over anti-Sikh riots in 1984 that left nearly 3,000 dead following the assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2018KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: TWO POLICE OFFICERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A Kenyan judge on 14 November 2018 sentenced two police officers to death for killing a colleague and two civilians in 2014.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2018TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has rejected a trial court recommendation that Jeffery Wood's death sentence be overturned
USA - Texas. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has rejected a trial court recommendation that Jeffery Wood's death sentence be overturned