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
- DECEMBER 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN IN QOM
Iran hanged a man in a prison in the religious city of Qom, the government newspaper Iran reported.
- DECEMBER 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged two men in a prison in the religious city of Qom...
Iran hanged two men in a prison in the religious city of Qom...
- DECEMBER 18, 2008BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: TWO EXECUTED FOR MURDERS IN MYMENSINGH
two prisoners in Mymensingh, Bangladesh, were executed in the early hours of the morning, prison authorities said the next day.
DECEMBER 17, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SWORD USED TO BEHEAD KILLERS
Two men were beheaded by the sword in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of murder.
DECEMBER 15, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED FOR DOUBLE MURDER
a man convicted of killing two people in Iran was hanged in a prison in the northeastern city of Mashhad,
- DECEMBER 13, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in the northern city of Semnan, the state news agency
DECEMBER 13, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Two men were hanged in the prison of Tabas (Khorasan province, eastern Iran) in the morning, reported
DECEMBER 13, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI BEHEADED FOR MURDER OF COMPATRIOT
a Saudi Arabian man was beheaded by the sword after being convicted of murdering a compatriot
- DECEMBER 12, 2008MarylandDEATH PENALTY
USA - Maryland. The Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment issued a report today calling for the abolition
USA - Maryland. The Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment issued a report today calling for the abolition
- DECEMBER 10, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in a prison in the southern city of Kazeroun, Quds newspaper
DECEMBER 10, 2008United StatesDEATH PENALTYEXECUTIONS AND DEATH SENTENCES IN UNITED STATES DROPPED IN 2008, REPORT FINDS
New death sentences in the United States were at or near a three-decade low this year and the number of people executed will be the lowest since 1994, according to a new report. The nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center reports 37 executions in 2008
- DECEMBER 6, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged three men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan
- DECEMBER 5, 2008South CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - South Carolina. Joseph M.L. Gardner, 38, black, has been executed
USA - South Carolina. Joseph M.L. Gardner, 38, black, has been executed
- DECEMBER 4, 2008TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Historic low number of death sentences in Texas in 2008
USA - Texas. Historic low number of death sentences in Texas in 2008
- DECEMBER 3, 2008NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
two men were sentenced to death by hanging by the Ondo Supreme Court...
two men were sentenced to death by hanging by the Ondo Supreme Court...
- DECEMBER 2, 2008MexicoDEATH PENALTY
MEXICAN STATE WANTS DEATH SENTENCE FOR KIDNAPPERS
Coahuila state lawmakers in Mexico proposed the death penalty be reinstated for kidnappings that end in murder, a crime Coahuila's governor said should be punished by firing squad, hanging or throat slashing.
- DECEMBER 1, 2008ChinaDEATH PENALTY
FAMILY OF EXECUTED CHINESE SCIENTIST NOT TOLD OF DEATH: DAUGHTER
the family of a Chinese scientist executed for passing information to Taiwan were officially told of his death or what happened to his body, his daughter said, three days after he died.
- NOVEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan, Fars news
NOVEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN SENTENCES THREE TO DEATH FOR MOSQUE BOMBING
Iran has sentenced three men convicted of a mosque bombing which left 14 people dead in the
NOVEMBER 28, 2008ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA EXECUTES TWO CONVICTED OF SPYING
despite pleas for clemency from the Bush administration and European officials, a biomedical researcher
- NOVEMBER 26, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: IMMINENT EXECUTION OF FARZAD KAMANGAR
Farzad Kamangar, the Iranian Kurdish teacher and social worker sentenced to death on, according to his lawyer, "absolutely zero evidence", could be hanged on November 26, 2008 ITUC warned.
NOVEMBER 26, 2008United States Armed ForcesDEATH PENALTYUSA: EXECUTION STAY FOR RONALD GRAY
The federal Judge Richard Rogers has issued a stay in Ronald Gray’s execution, that
NOVEMBER 26, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS 10 MURDERERS IN MASS EXECUTION
Iran hanged nine men and a woman convicted of murder in Tehran's Evin prison, the Fars news agency reported.
- NOVEMBER 25, 2008North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - North Carolina. Clinton Cebert Smith has been removed from North Carolina's death row after Superior Court Judge John R. Jolly Jr. ruled ha is mentally retarded
USA - North Carolina. Clinton Cebert Smith has been removed from North Carolina's death row after Superior Court Judge John R. Jolly Jr. ruled ha is mentally retarded
- NOVEMBER 25, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in a prison in the western city of Borujerd. The Kayhan newspaper
- NOVEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED IN PRISON FOR MURDER
Iran executed a man convicted of murder in a prison in the western city of Shahr-e Kord, the
- NOVEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in the central prison of Mashad...
a man was hanged in the central prison of Mashad...
NOVEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged three men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the
- NOVEMBER 21, 2008CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. New Death Penalty Rules Rejected by California Court. With no legal method for lethal injection, state must keep delaying executions.
USA - California. New Death Penalty Rules Rejected by California Court. With no legal method for lethal injection, state must keep delaying executions.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2008KentuckyDEATH PENALTY
USA - Kentucky. Marco Allen Chapman was executed.
USA - Kentucky. Marco Allen Chapman was executed.