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 11, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH TO HANG 19 FOR DEADLY ATTACK ON 2004 RALLY
- OCTOBER 11, 2018WashingtonDEATH PENALTY
USA - Washington. The State Supreme Court unanimously declared the death penalty unconstitutional
USA - Washington. The State Supreme Court unanimously declared the death penalty unconstitutional
OCTOBER 11, 2018IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: THREE TERRORISTS SENTENCED TO DEATH, LIFE OVER KILLING CIVILIANS IN ANBAR
The Criminal Court in Dhi Qar has sentenced a terrorist to death and two others to life in prison over carrying out several crimes in Anbar province, iraqinews reported on 10 October 2018.
OCTOBER 10, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: HOUTHI COURT HANDS DOWN DEATH SENTENCES TO TWO YEMENIS FOR ESPIONAGE
A Houthi court in Sanaa on 9 October 2018 handed down death sentences to two Yemenis on charges including espionage for Saudi Arabia and a Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen
OCTOBER 9, 2018EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES FOUR JIHADISTS TO DEATH
An Egyptian military court has sentenced four jihadists to death over attacks which killed 20 police officers, a judicial source said on 7 October 2018.
OCTOBER 8, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: SC UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY FOR KHALAF MURDER CONVICT
The Supreme Court on 7 October 2018 upheld the death penalty for Saiful Islam rejecting his review plea in Saudi embassy official Khalaf Al-Ali murder case.
- OCTOBER 5, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPE-MURDER OF MINOR GIRL
A court of Assam on October 4, 2018 awarded death penalty to a man for the rape and murder of a 13-year-old tribal girl.
OCTOBER 5, 2018IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: COURT SENTENCES CONVICT TO DEATH OVER EXPLODING RELIGIOUS SHRINE IN NINEVEH
An Iraqi court in Baghdad has sentenced a convict to death over exploding a religious shrine in Nineveh province, an official said on October 3, 2018.
- OCTOBER 5, 2018CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Death row inmate Jonathan Fajardo killed in prison.
USA - California. Death row inmate Jonathan Fajardo killed in prison.
OCTOBER 4, 2018IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: TWO MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SMUGGLING CANNABIS
The West Jakarta District Court handed down the death penalty on October 2, 2018 to Rizky Albar, 29, and Rocky Siahaan, 37, for their roles in smuggling 1.3 tons of cannabis
OCTOBER 4, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: FORMER SESSIONS JUDGE SIKANDAR LASHARI SENTENCED TO DEATH
An ATC in Karachi sentenced former Tharparkar district and session judge Sikandar Lashari to death on September 29, 2018.
- OCTOBER 3, 2018PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MURDERER AWARDED DEATH SENTENCE IN ISLAMABAD
The District and Sessions Judge (DSJ) East Islamabad Choudhary Mumtaz Hussain has awarded death sentence to an accused involved in a murder case of Police Station Koral, Pakistan Point News reported on September 27, 2018.
- OCTOBER 2, 2018YemenDEATH PENALTY
CONCERN OVER BAHAI' FOLLOWERS TRIAL BY YEMEN REBELS
Concerns are growing over the fate of more than 20 followers of the minority Baha'i faith in Yemen put on trial by the rebel Houthi movement.
OCTOBER 2, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: A FEMALE JUVENILE OFFENDER AND FOUR MEN HANGED
Zeynab Sekanvand, a juvenile offender who was 17 years old when arrested for the murder of her husband, was executed on October 2, 2018 morning at Urmia prison along with four other prisoners.
OCTOBER 1, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN DRIVE AGAINST ECONOMIC CRIMES
Special courts set up in a drive against financial crime have sentenced three people to death in Iran, state television reported on September 30, 2018
OCTOBER 1, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: POLITICAL PRISONER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Supreme Court in Iran accepted the death sentence of Arsalan Khodkam, a political prisoner, Iran Human Rights reported on September 26, 2018.
OCTOBER 1, 2018ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: PROMINENT UYGHUR INTELLECTUAL GIVEN TWO-YEAR SUSPENDED DEATH SENTENCE FOR ‘SEPARATISM’
Authorities in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have given a two-year suspended death sentence to a prominent Uyghur intellectual for exhibiting “separatist tendencies,” according to an official source, RFA reported on September
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: TWO MAOISTS GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING SP
Two Maoist guerrillas involved in the killing of Pakur Superintendent of Police Amarjeet Balihar and five other policemen in Jharkhand in 2013 were awarded death sentence by a Dumka district court on September 26, 2018.
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal (Vermont). Judge Approves Plea Deal in Case (Donald Fell) That Challenged the Constitutionality of the Federal Death Penalty.
USA - Federal (Vermont). Judge Approves Plea Deal in Case (Donald Fell) That Challenged the Constitutionality of the Federal Death Penalty.
SEPTEMBER 28, 2018DEATH PENALTYTEXAS: TROY CLARK EXECUTED
Troy Clark (51, White) was executed on September 26, 2018.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: ISIL AND AL SHABAAB MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Somalia’s Puntland military court on September 26, 2018 sentenced alleged Al Qaeda linked Al-Shabaab and Islamic State groups’ members to death and life in prison.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2018IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA: TWO DRUG TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Bengkalis District Court in Riau sentenced two people to death on September 26, 2018 after they were found guilty of violating the Narcotics Law by transporting 10 kilograms of powdered methamphetamine.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: YOUTH SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR POSSESSION OF HEROIN
A youth who had been convicted for trading heroin and possession of 9 grams of heroin was sentenced to death on September 26 by the Colombo High Court.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2018SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: WOMAN SENTENCED TO MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A 40-year-old Singaporean woman on September 20, 2018 was sentenced to the mandatory death penalty after she was caught selling drugs.
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2018TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Troy Clark was executed.
USA - Texas. Troy Clark was executed.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ALLEGED PDKI CONNECTIONS
Iranian judiciary authorities on September 23, 2018 issued the death penalty to a Kurdish inmate over political activities and alleged membership in a Kurdish party.
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2018JordanDEATH PENALTY
JORDAN: 3 EGYPTIANS GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE FOR KILLING COMPATRIOT
Three Egyptian men were sentenced to death on September 24, 2018 by the Criminal Court after being convicted of killing their compatriot in Amman in December 2015.
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2018SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: MILITARY COURT IN BELEDWEYNE SENTENCES A SOLDIER TO DEATH
A military court in Beledweyne on September 22, 2018 sentenced a soldier to death for killing a civilian in the district late last month.
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2018FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Sherwood Bauer sentenced Michael Woodbury to death
USA - Florida. Judge Sherwood Bauer sentenced Michael Woodbury to death
SEPTEMBER 21, 2018BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 5 SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER DOUBLE MURDER
A court on September 19, 2018 sentenced five people to death for their involvement in killing a father and his son near Barishur Bazar area in Keraniganj, Dhaka in 1993, reports UNB.