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
- 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 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 PENALTYIRAN: 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 PENALTYSOMALI: 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, 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 17, 2017GeorgiaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Georgia. J.W. Ledford Jr. was executed.
USA - Georgia. J.W. Ledford Jr. was executed.
MAY 17, 2017DEATH PENALTYGEORGIA (USA): J.W. LEDFORD EXECUTED
J.W. Ledford Jr., 45, White, was executed.
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.
MAY 8, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES
Two prisoners were reportedly hanged on murder charges in the morning at Mashhad Central Prison.
- MAY 7, 2017ArkansasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arkansas. Judge orders Arkansas to conduct autopsy on executed inmate Kenneth Williams.
USA - Arkansas. Judge orders Arkansas to conduct autopsy on executed inmate Kenneth Williams.
MAY 5, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: YOUNG MAN WALKS FREE FROM DEATH ROW
Salar Shadizadi, who was sentenced to death for a crime he committed when a child, was released after 10 years from Rasht prison in northern Iran.
- MAY 5, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - "Death Row USA Winter 2017" updated to January 1, 2017.
USA - "Death Row USA Winter 2017" updated to January 1, 2017.
- MAY 4, 2017PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: THREE 'HARDCORE TERRORISTS' CONVICTED BY MILITARY COURTS HANGED
Another three "hardcore terrorists" sentenced by military courts were executed in Kohat jail, said a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
- MAY 3, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Pedro Solis Sosa ineligible for the death penalty because of Intellectual Disability.
USA - Texas. Pedro Solis Sosa ineligible for the death penalty because of Intellectual Disability.
- MAY 3, 2017EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPT: PRISON AUTHORITIES EXECUTE SIX PRISONERS
Egyptian prison authorities executed six prisoners, in relation to two separate cases.
- MAY 3, 2017TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Former Prosecutor on Trial on Charges that His Misconduct Led to Wrongful Execution of Cameron Willingham.
USA - Texas. Former Prosecutor on Trial on Charges that His Misconduct Led to Wrongful Execution of Cameron Willingham.
MAY 2, 2017SomaliaDEATH PENALTYPUNTLAND: BOYS EXECUTED FOR ALLEGED TERRORISM
Puntland is under criticism following the execution of some children suspected to be members of the Al-Shabaab terror group.
- APRIL 30, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES
A prisoner was reportedly executed at Hamadan Central Prison on murder charges, and another prisoner was returned to his cell after his execution was temporarily halted.
- APRIL 28, 2017UtahDEATH PENALTY
USA - Utah. Firing squads to be used in 3 upcoming executions.
USA - Utah. Firing squads to be used in 3 upcoming executions.
APRIL 27, 2017ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA HAS 168 MEN AND 2 WOMEN ON DEATH ROW
The Zambia Correctional Services says it has 170 inmates on death row.
APRIL 27, 2017DEATH PENALTYARKANSAS (USA): KENNETH WILLIAMS EXECUTED
Kenneth Williams, 38, Black, was executed with a lethal injection that left the prisoner lurching and convulsing 20 times before he died.