Executions
Archive theme
An execution is the act by which a state puts a condemned person to death. Hands Off Cain records the cases documented by public sources: press agencies, local newspapers, human rights organisations, official statements. The figure that results is a confirmed minimum, not an estimate of the real total: several states publish no data on executions, and in some countries they are not announced even to the families.
This page collects the news on the executions recorded by the association. The totals by country and by year are in the database.
Latest news
NOVEMBER 13, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EXECUTION IN BANDAR ABBAS
According to a close source, on the morning a prisoner was executed at Bandar Abbas Central Prison.
NOVEMBER 9, 2017ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MAN WHO BEHEADED WIFE
A Binga man who chopped off his wife’s head and hid it in a cardboard box following domestic dispute, was sentenced to death.
- NOVEMBER 9, 2017NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. The attorney general has chosen Jose Sandoval as the next to die, after a 20-year hiatus in executions
USA - Nebraska. The attorney general has chosen Jose Sandoval as the next to die, after a 20-year hiatus in executions
- NOVEMBER 8, 2017FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Patrick Hannon, 53, White, was executed.
USA - Florida. Patrick Hannon, 53, White, was executed.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Ruben Ramirez Cardenas, 47, a Mexican citizen, was executed
USA - Texas. Ruben Ramirez Cardenas, 47, a Mexican citizen, was executed
NOVEMBER 8, 2017DEATH PENALTYTEXAS (USA): RUBEN RAMIREZ CARDENAS EXECUTED
Ruben Ramirez Cardenas, 47, a Mexican citizen, was executed, despite an adjudication by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that he was entitled to a new trial because of Texas's violation of U.S. treaty obligations under the Vienna Convention f
NOVEMBER 8, 2017DEATH PENALTYFLORIDA (USA): PATRICK HANNON EXECUTED
Patrick Hannon, 53, White, was executed.
NOVEMBER 7, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR PRISONERS EXECUTED FOR DRUG OFFENCES
According to a close source, on the morning four prisoners were executed at Urmia Central Prison (Darya).
- NOVEMBER 6, 2017AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. The U.S. Supreme Court decided that Vernon Madison is competent to be executed.
USA - Alabama. The U.S. Supreme Court decided that Vernon Madison is competent to be executed.
NOVEMBER 4, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: ISLAMIST INSURGENTS EXECUTE FOUR ALLEGED SPIES
Somalia’s Islamist al Shabaab insurgency shot four men accused of spying in a public execution that underscored the insurgents’ control of swathes of the country’s southern region, even as the government girds up for an offensive against them.
NOVEMBER 1, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: A PRISONER HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES AT ORUMIYEH CENTRAL PRISON
A death row prisoner was executed on murder charges in the central prison of Orumiyeh.
- OCTOBER 31, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER, RAPE EXECUTED IN HYDERABAD
A man charged with murder and rape was executed early in the morning at the Hyderabad Central Prison.
OCTOBER 31, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED AT MARAGHEH PRISON
According to a close source, on the morning a prisoner was executed at Maragheh Prison (Northwestern Iran) on murder charges.
OCTOBER 29, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED AT ZAHEDAN CENTRAL PRISON ON MURDER CHARGES
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a prisoner was executed at Zahedan Central prison on murder charges.
OCTOBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC
According to a report by the Iranian state-run news agency Rokna, on the morning a prisoner was executed in public at Ghamsal (Keshavarz) Square in the city of Khoy (Northwestern Iran).
- OCTOBER 25, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SEVEN PRISONERS HANGED IN RAJAI SHAHR PRISON
According to a close source, on the morning seven prisoners were executed at Rajai Shahr Prison of Karaj.
- OCTOBER 25, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC
According to Iranian state media, on the morning, a prisoner was executed in public in Jahanabad (a village in Fahraj Rural District, Kerman Province) on murder charges.
OCTOBER 25, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: APPROVAL OF THE NEW ANTI-NARCOTIC BILL BY THE GUARDIAN COUNCIL
The bill that restricts the execution of those sentenced to death for petty drug offenses, which was approved on October 18, is a potentially a significant in decreasing the number of executions in Iran. However, it still doesn’t fully conform to what hum
- OCTOBER 24, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED IN YAZD CENTRAL PRISON
A prisoner was hanged on the morning in the Yazd Central Prison.
- OCTOBER 19, 2017AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Torrey McNabb, 40, Black, was executed.
USA - Alabama. Torrey McNabb, 40, Black, was executed.
- OCTOBER 19, 2017NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ROBBERY IN EKITI
An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti sentenced a man, Aanu Adu, to death by hanging for armed robbery.
OCTOBER 19, 2017DEATH PENALTYALABAMA (USA): TORREY MCNABB EXECUTED
Torrey McNabb, 40, Black, was executed.
OCTOBER 17, 2017ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND MOVES TOWARDS ABOLISHING DEATH PENALTY
As many as 447 convicts are now on death row in Thailand, which is reviewing the use of the death penalty.
- OCTOBER 14, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED AT RASHT CENTRAL PRISON
According to a close source, on the morning of October 14, a prisoner was executed at Rasht Central Prison.
- OCTOBER 12, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Robert Pruett, 38, White, was executed.
USA - Texas. Robert Pruett, 38, White, was executed.
OCTOBER 12, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED ON MOHAREBEH CHARGES AT KERMAN PRISON
According to ISNA and the Deputy of Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s office of Kerman, Mokhtar Shamsuddini, on the morning of October 12, a prisoner was hanged at Kerman Prison.
OCTOBER 12, 2017DEATH PENALTYTEXAS (USA): ROBERT PRUETT EXECUTED
October 12, 2017: Robert Pruett, 38, White, was executed.
OCTOBER 10, 2017KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: STUDENT SENTENCED TO HANG FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING SH500
A student who robbed a fellow student and his cousin at knife-point has been sentenced to death.
OCTOBER 10, 2017DEATH PENALTYHANDS OFF CAIN DEDICATES THE WORLD DAY AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY TO IRAN
October 10 is the World Day Against the Death Penalty and Hands Off Cain dedicates it to Iran, the country that continues to record the largest number of per capita executions in the world.
- OCTOBER 8, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG OFFENCES
According to the Iranian state-run news agency Mehr, on the morning of October 8, a prisoner was executed at Qazvin Central Prison. This prisoner was sentenced to death for drug related charges.