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 6, 2008DEATH PENALTYUSA. GEORGIA MAN EXECUTED, ENDING 7-MONTH MORATORIUM
a Georgia man who killed his live-in girlfriend was executed, the first inmate
- MAY 5, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran has hanged nine drug traffickers, reports said.
Iran has hanged nine drug traffickers, reports said.
MAY 5, 2008DEATH PENALTYIRAN. 12 CONVICTS HANGED
Iran has hanged 12 convicted criminals, including nine drug traffickers and three rapists, the latest in a growing number of executions in the Islamic republic, reports said.
- MAY 4, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
three men convicted of kidnapping and raping at least 11 girls were sent to the gallows in Iran, in the
three men convicted of kidnapping and raping at least 11 girls were sent to the gallows in Iran, in the
- MAY 1, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. 3 PAKISTANIS EXECUTED FOR HASHISH SMUGGLING
Zargar Sadajan, Roajan Sodajar, and Naik Mohammed Malak Mohammed, all Pakistanis, were
APRIL 30, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN. TRIBAL ELDERS URGED TO HELP STOP EXECUTIONS IN MOHMAND AGENCY
fearing yet another public execution of an alleged outlaw, tribesmen in Machinai locality
APRIL 29, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ. SENTENCING JUDGE CONDEMNS HUSSEIN'S EXECUTION
the Iraqi judge who sentenced Saddam Hussein to death condemned the manner in which
- APRIL 28, 2008QatarDEATH PENALTY
QATAR. MAN GETS DEATH FOR BRUTAL MURDER
a Qatari man was sentenced to death for the brutal murder of his aunt following a fight about money. The
- APRIL 28, 2008BahrainDEATH PENALTY
BAHRAIN: FINAL APPEAL REJECTED
a Bangladeshi cook will be executed in Bahrain after the Cassation Court...
- APRIL 28, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. MILITANTS BEHEAD 'SPY' IN TRIBAL AREA
pro-Taliban militants in the Pakistan's tribal areas beheaded a 35 year old policeman in Peshawar, accusing
- APRIL 27, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTANI TALIBAN PUBLICLY EXECUTE ALLEGED CRIMINAL
Pakistani Taliban militants publicly executed an alleged criminal involved in kidnappings for ransom in a tribal area bordering Afghanistan, witnesses said
APRIL 27, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. TWO HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
two men were hanged for drug trafficking in the main prison of Qom, Iran. The prisoners were identified only as Mahmood, 47, and Ghodrat, 56.
- APRIL 25, 2008OhioDEATH PENALTY
Raymond Smith is mentally retarded and cannot be executed, county Common Pleas Judge Christopher Rothgery ruled today.
Raymond Smith is mentally retarded and cannot be executed, county Common Pleas Judge Christopher Rothgery ruled today.
APRIL 25, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI BEHEADS PAKISTANIS, SYRIAN FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
two Pakistanis and a Syrian convicted of smuggling drugs were beheaded by the
APRIL 23, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS FIVE FOR MURDER
Iran hanged five men convicted of murder in Tehran's Evin prison, the Fars news
APRIL 23, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN PARDONS FIVE CONVICTED OF MURDER
five people convicted of murder in Iran were pardoned by the victims' families "in the last
- APRIL 22, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in a prison in the central city of Isfahan,
APRIL 22, 2008JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPANESE MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERS HE COMMITTED AS TEENAGER
a Japanese court overturned two earlier rulings and sentenced a man to death for
APRIL 22, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSTATELESS RESIDENT EXECUTED IN SAUDI ARABIA
a stateless resident was beheaded by the sword in Saudi Arabia after he was
- APRIL 21, 2008YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN EXECUTES TWO OVER BANDITRY MURDER
Yemen's Primary Specialist Court delivered its rulings on two Yemeni brigands,
- APRIL 21, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS FOUR FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran has hanged four people convicted of drug trafficking in the country's
- APRIL 19, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTANI TALIBAN PUBLICLY EXECUTE THREE PEOPLE IN TRIBAL REGION
in the country's South Waziristan tribal region, the Pakistani Taliban publicly executed 3 people who were held responsible for the killing of a local tribesman.
- APRIL 18, 2008SyriaDEATH PENALTY
two Syrian men convicted of drug trafficking were beheaded by the sword in
two Syrian men convicted of drug trafficking were beheaded by the sword in
- APRIL 18, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN POSTPONES HANGING OF INDIAN NATIONAL - PAPER
Pakistan postponed the hanging of Sarabjit Singh to June 1, hours after External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee appealed to Islamabad to give the "unfortunate human being" clemency on humanitarian grounds
- APRIL 18, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. TWO SOLDIERS PUBLICLY EXECUTED FOR RAPE
authorities in Riyadh executed Abdul Rahman ibn Saeed Al-Zahrani and Abdul
APRIL 17, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA EXECUTES JORDANIAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry says a Jordanian man was beheaded after
APRIL 17, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY. D'ELIA, LETHAL INJECTION ISN’T THE PROBLEM BUT THE ANACHRONISM OF THE DEATH PENALTY
regarding the US Supreme Court’s decision on the constitutionality of using lethal injection, Hands Off Cain Secretary, Sergio D'Elia, said: "The US Supreme Court wasn't called on to decide on the death penalty itself but whether the method of execution
- APRIL 16, 2008JapanDEATH PENALTY
JAPAN RADIO STATION TO AIR EXECUTION TAPE AS HANGINGS RISE
a Japanese radio station will broadcast a 1955 tape of an execution in a special program next month, a rare move to raise public awareness as the government increases the frequency at which it hangs death row inmates.
- APRIL 16, 2008VirginiaDEATH PENALTY
Virginia's moratorium on the death penalty was ended today by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine
Virginia's moratorium on the death penalty was ended today by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine
APRIL 16, 2008DEATH PENALTYUSA. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS USE OF LETHAL INJECTIONS
The US Supreme Court upheld the most common method of lethal injections executions, clearing the way for states to resume executions that have been on hold for nearly 7 months.