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
- JANUARY 1, 2016BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
Article 32 of the Constitution provides
Article 32 of the Constitution provides
- JANUARY 1, 2016North KoreaDEATH PENALTY
North Korea denies holding any political prisoners.
North Korea denies holding any political prisoners.
DECEMBER 31, 2015IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 8 PRISONERS HANGED AT TABRIZ, MASHHAD
six prisoners were reportedly hanged at Tabriz Central Prison (northern Iran) on drug charges and two
DECEMBER 29, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: FILIPINO EXECUTED, 153RD DEATH SENTENCE IN 2015
Saudi Arabia executed a Filipino man convicted of murder, bringing to 153 the number of people put to
DECEMBER 29, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: FOUR TERRORISTS EXECUTED IN KOHAT
Four more militants were hanged to death in Kohat Central Jail early in the morning, the latest hangings since Pakistan lifted a moratorium on death penalty last year following the Peshawar school carnage.
DECEMBER 28, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: NIGERIAN SENTENCED TO HANG FOR DRUGS SMUGGLING
The Malaysian high court sentenced a Nigerian citizen to death for drugs trafficking.
DECEMBER 28, 2015North KoreaDEATH PENALTYNORTH KOREA: 5 EXECUTED FOR AIDING AND ABETTING ESCAPES
Authorities in North Korea’s Yanggang Province back in September executed five residents for aiding the
DECEMBER 26, 2015IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE HANGED IN KHORRAMABAD
Iran's fundamentalist regime hanged three men in a prison in Khorramabad, western Iran.
DECEMBER 23, 2015IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 2 PRISONERS HANGED IN GHEZELHESAR PRISON IN KARAJ
According to the report of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA), two prisoners, who had been
- DECEMBER 23, 2015SomaliaDEATH PENALTY
SOMALIA: ISLAMISTS PUBLICLY EXECUTE TWO OFFICIALS
Islamist militant group al Shabaab publicly executed a Somali military officer and the leader of a small town
DECEMBER 22, 2015IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 8 MEN HANGED ON DRUG CHARGES
Eight men with alleged drug charges were reportedly hanged at Qazvin Central Prison in the morning.
- DECEMBER 21, 2015IranDEATH PENALTY
UN DOUBLES IRAN DRUG FUNDING DESPITE EXECUTION SURGE
DECEMBER 21, 2015IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED FOR MURDER
A prisoner charged with murder was hanged at Amol Prison (in the province of Mazandaran) and one
- DECEMBER 20, 2015IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SEVEN PEOPLE HANGED IN ONE DAY, TWO OF THE EXECUTIONS IN PUBLIC
At least seven prisoners were hanged in Iran. Two of the executions were carried out in public.
DECEMBER 19, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: TWO DEATH ROW CONVICTS HANGED IN SAHIWAL
Two death row convicts were hanged in the Central Jail Sahiwal early the morning while execution of
DECEMBER 18, 2015DEATH PENALTYUSA: 75% OF 2015 EXECUTIONS RAISED SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH OR INNOCENCE
Three quarters of American executions in 2015 involved cases of "crippling disabilities and uncertain guilt,"
DECEMBER 18, 2015JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: TWO CONVICTED MURDERERS HANGED
Japan executed two death row prisoners, including the nation's first of a condemned inmate sentenced by jurors, officials and media said, as campaigners called for the country to abolish capital punishment.
DECEMBER 16, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: THREE DEATH ROW CONVICTS EXECUTED IN PUNJAB JAILS
As many as three death row inmates were hanged in two Punjab cities early this morning as the country
DECEMBER 16, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: JUVENILE REPORTEDLY EXECUTED
Pakistan this morning reportedly executed Saqi Shah, who was arrested and convicted when he was 16 years old.
- DECEMBER 15, 2015Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTY
Gaza Permanent Military Court sentenced F. L. A. (50), from the north of the Gaza
Gaza Permanent Military Court sentenced F. L. A. (50), from the north of the Gaza
DECEMBER 15, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: 8 DEATH ROW CONVICTS HANGED IN VARIOUS CITIES
Eight death row prisoners were hanged on early morning in the jails of Attock, Bahawalpur, Multan,
DECEMBER 15, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI PUT TO DEATH IN KINGDOM'S 151ST EXECUTION OF YEAR
A Saudi convicted of murder was executed in the eastern province of Ihsa, in the 151st death sentence
DECEMBER 15, 2015DEATH PENALTYUSA: DPIC RELEASES YEAR END REPORT
The use of the death penalty in the U.S. declined by virtually every measure in 2015.
- DECEMBER 15, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - DPIC Releases Year End Report: Death Penalty Use in 2015 Declines Sharply.
USA - DPIC Releases Year End Report: Death Penalty Use in 2015 Declines Sharply.
DECEMBER 14, 2015DEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED
Three prisoners have been hanged in Iran in the last days.
- DECEMBER 14, 2015IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: YOUNG MAN EXECUTED IN PUBLIC
Iran hanged a 20-year-old man in public in the city of Noshahr, northern Iran.
- DECEMBER 12, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: TWO DEATH ROW CONVICTS HANGED IN SIALKOT
At least two death row prisoners were hanged in District Jail in Sialkot. According to details, suspects Zafar
- DECEMBER 11, 2015ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MEDICAL STUDENT EXECUTED FOR POISONING
A Chinese medical student who murdered his roommate at a prestigious Shanghai university by poisoning a drinking water dispenser was executed, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
DECEMBER 11, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: ANOTHER PERSON HANGED IN FAISALABAD
Another person was executed in Faisalabad’s central jail on the charges of murder, as the country marks first anniversary of APS massacre which was followed by an end to years-long unannounced ban on hangings in Pakistan.
DECEMBER 11, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: MAN TO BE HANGED FOR RAPING 80-YEAR-OLD WOMAN TO DEATH
An Egyptian court has given death sentence to a young man for raping an 80-year-old woman to death.