Executions
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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
JUNE 24, 2017ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: THIRTEEN CHINESE DRUG DEALERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN FRONT OF 10,000 AT PUBLIC STADIUM BEFORE EIGHT ARE WHISKED OFF IN A TRUCK TO BE EXECUTED IMMEDIATELY
Eight were executed straight after the hearing — slammed by human rights activists as barbaric — in the southern city of Shanwei, Guangdong.
- JUNE 22, 2017ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. U.S. District Judge Neil Wake Accepts Sweeping Reforms of Arizona Death Penalty Protocols.
USA - Arizona. U.S. District Judge Neil Wake Accepts Sweeping Reforms of Arizona Death Penalty Protocols.
- JUNE 8, 2017DEATH PENALTY
ALABAMA (USA): ROBERT MELSON EXECUTED
Robert Melson, 46, Black, was executed. Melson was convicted in 1996 and sentenced to death for the murders of three workers at a fast food restaurant on April 16, 1994.
- JUNE 8, 2017AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Robert Melson, 46, Black, was executed.
USA - Alabama. Robert Melson, 46, Black, was executed.
JUNE 6, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES
A prisoner identified as Homayoun Toolabi was reportedly hanged at Khorramabad Prison on murder charges.
- JUNE 4, 2017SyriaDEATH PENALTY
ISIS executes 33, its largest mass killing of 2017
4 June 2017: the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) executed 33 people in eastern Syria on Wednesday, according to a monitoring group, in its biggest mass killing in 2017.
JUNE 4, 2017BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING SISTER
A Dhaka court sentenced two people to death for killing a woman in 2015.
- MAY 31, 2017DEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS EXECUTED, ONE OF THEM IN PUBLIC
Two prisoners have been hanged in Iran in the last days.
MAY 30, 2017SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: DEATH SENTENCE FOR RAPE, MURDER OF GIRL IN SOUTH DARFUR CITY
The Children's Court in Nyala sentenced the rapist and killer of a six-year-old girl to death by hanging. The victim was found tied-down in his shop, and was suffocated with napkins and biscuits.
- MAY 28, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
An unidentified prisoner sentenced to death on rape charges was reportedly hanged in public in Shiraz in front of a crowd of people.
An unidentified prisoner sentenced to death on rape charges was reportedly hanged in public in Shiraz in front of a crowd of people.
MAY 28, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: AL SHABAAB STONE A MAN TO DEATH FOR ADULTERY
Al Shabaab fighters in Somalia stoned a man to death as a punishment for committing adultery.
- MAY 26, 2017DEATH PENALTY
ALABAMA (USA): TOMMY ARTHUR, 75, EXECUTED
Tommy Arthur, 75, White, was pronounced dead at 12:15 a.m. local time Friday after a lethal injection, authorities said.
- MAY 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
A prisoner was reportedly hanged at Khorramabad's Parsilon Prison on the charge of possession and trafficking 850 grams of heroin.
A prisoner was reportedly hanged at Khorramabad's Parsilon Prison on the charge of possession and trafficking 850 grams of heroin.
- MAY 26, 2017AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Tommy Arthur, 75, White, was executed.
USA - Alabama. Tommy Arthur, 75, White, was executed.
MAY 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED ON DRUG CHARGES
The Iranian authorities reportedly hanged three prisoners on drug related charges in the morning.
MAY 25, 2017Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: HAMAS RULERS PUT TO DEATH 3 ACCUSED OF KILLING MEMBER
Hamas said it put to death three men it had accused of killing a senior member of the militant Islamic group that rules Gaza in March.
- MAY 25, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PROMINENT WRESTLER EXECUTED ON VAGUE CHARGES
A prominent wrestler in Iran was reportedly hanged at Kermanshah's Dizel Abad Prison in the morning on vague charges.
MAY 24, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO TERRORISTS EXECUTED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN APS ATTACK, OTHER INCIDENTS
Another two terrorists tried by military courts have been executed, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release.
MAY 24, 2017MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: TWO MEN HANGED IN SECRETIVE EXECUTIONS
Two men were executed at 5.30 am at Sungai Buloh Prison in Selangor, Malaysia - a Chinese Malaysian and Yong Kar Mun, 48.
MAY 24, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER HANGED
A juvenile offender was hanged in the Central Prison of Karaj in the morning.
MAY 23, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SIX PRISONERS EXECUTED
Six prisoners were executed in two different Iranian prisons early in the morning,
MAY 19, 2017SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: DRUG TRAFFICKER HANGED AFTER EXHAUSTING AVENUES OF APPEAL
Singaporean drug trafficker Muhammad Ridzuan Md Ali, 31, was executed at Changi Prison, having exhausted all avenues of appeal.
- MAY 18, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALI: MILITARY COURT EXECUTES MAN INVOLVED IN MOGADISHU MARKET EXPLOSION
A Somali military court has executed a man who was accused to be involved in a car bomb attack at garden market in Waberi district in Mogadishu.
- MAY 17, 2017DEATH PENALTY
GEORGIA (USA): J.W. LEDFORD EXECUTED
J.W. Ledford Jr., 45, White, was executed.
- MAY 17, 2017DEATH PENALTY
USA - Georgia. J.W. Ledford Jr. was executed.
USA - Georgia. J.W. Ledford Jr. was executed.
MAY 17, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: FOUR TERRORISTS CONVICTED BY MLY COURTS HANGED
Another four terrorists tried and convicted by military courts were hanged at a jail in Khyber Pakhtukhwa.
MAY 11, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: FOUR MORE CONVICTED BY MILITARY COURTS HANGED
Another four hardcore militants sentenced to death by a military court were executed in the Kohat jail, taking the total number of terrorists hanged there within 48 hours to eight.
MAY 10, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: FOUR TTP TERRORIST HANGED TO DEATH
Four hardcore terrorists were executed for being involved in subversive activities in Pakistan, a statement released by Inter-Services Public Relations ISPR.
- MAY 10, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - New Statistical Brief from the Bureau of Justice Statistics Documents U.S. Death Penalty Decline.
USA - New Statistical Brief from the Bureau of Justice Statistics Documents U.S. Death Penalty Decline.
- MAY 9, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES IN BANDAR ABBAS & TABRIZ CENTRAL PRISONS
Two prisoners were reportedly hanged at Bandar Abbas Central & Tabriz Prisons on murder charges.