Chronological archive
March 2023
The 95 news items published by Hands Off Cain in March 2023, in chronological order.
USA - Florida. Former death row inmate J.B. Parker to serve life term
MARCH 31, 2023FloridaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. House Judiciary Committee approved HB 555
To eliminate unanimous jury recommendations
- MARCH 30, 2023ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
ZIMBABWEANS START DEBATE ON ENDING DEATH PENALTY
Zimbabwe’s government has started two weeks of nationwide consultations on whether to abolish capital punishment for people convicted of premeditated murder.
- MARCH 30, 2023DEATH PENALTY
USA - Exonerated Central Park 5 Member Reacts to Trump Indictment
Yusef Salaam
MARCH 30, 2023PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH BY LARKANA COURT FOR KILLING POLICEMAN
The Model Criminal Trial Court, Larkana, on 29 March 2023 awarded death sentence to three suspects and imposed on them Rs1,500,000 fine each after finding them guilty of killing a police constable Nadeem Lashari over a land dispute.
MARCH 30, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: DOMESTIC STAFF SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING GRANDMA, DAUGHTER
A domestic staff, Joseph Ogbu, was sentenced to death by hanging on 27 March 2023 for killing his employer, an 89-year-old grandmother, Ajoke, and her daughter, Oreoluwa, in their home in Lagos.
MARCH 30, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Sahand Noor Mohammadzadeh Death Sentence Overturned
Protester’s Sentence Replaced By Imprisonment
MARCH 30, 2023United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Senate OKs SB 450, easier path to imposing death penalty
MARCH 29, 2023MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: ‘DON’T ABOLISH MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY’, PROFESSOR MUZAFFAR SAYS
The government should consider retaining the death penalty for serious and heinous crimes, Dr Muzaffar Syah Mallow said on 26 March 2023.
MARCH 29, 2023BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING STEP-BROTHERS
A court in Cumilla sentenced a man to death on 27 March 2023 for the murder of his two step brothers in 2016 in the district’s Sadar Dakshin upazila.
MARCH 29, 2023LouisianaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Louisiana. Governor John Bel Edwards Announces His Opposition to the Death Penalty
MARCH 29, 2023IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 4 MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 2008 JAIPUR SERIAL BLASTS ACQUITTED BY HIGH COURT
The Rajasthan high court on 29 March 2023 acquitted four men sentenced to death by a trial court for nine blasts that went off in Jaipur in May 2008, killing 71 people and injuring over 170.
MARCH 28, 2023MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: BILL TO ABOLISH MANDATORY DEATH PENALTY TABLED FOR FIRST READING
The Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Bill 2023 was tabled for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat (Lower House) on 27 March 2023.
MARCH 28, 2023IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SUPREME COURT RELEASES DEATH ROW PRISONER AFTER 28 YEARS ON FINDING HIM TO BE A JUVENILE AT THE TIME OF OFFENCE
The Supreme Court on 27 March 2023 released a death row convict upon finding that even though he was a juvenile at the time of the commission of the offence he was tried as an adult and was sentenced to death.
MARCH 28, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 1 woman and 1 man executed on March 28 in Isfahan
Maryam Najjar and Hassan Bahmani
- MARCH 27, 2023United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
ISRAELI SENTENCED TO DEATH IN UAE RETURNS HOME
Fida Kiwan, a Haifa native who was sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates for drug trafficking, was pardoned by the UAE and given leave to return home, according to a March 25, 2023 Walla! report.
MARCH 27, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT IN PUNTLAND SENTENCES 10 AL-SHABAAB CONVICTS TO DEATH
The Puntland Armed Forces Court on 26 March 2023 sentenced ten members of Al-Shabaab to death after they were found guilty of carrying out a series of bombings and assassinations in Puntland state, and for being members of the Al-Shabaab network.
MARCH 27, 2023PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE OVER BLASPHEMOUS CONTENT ON WHATSAPP
A Muslim man in Pakistan has been awarded a death sentence over blasphemous content on a WhatsApp group.
MARCH 27, 2023LouisianaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Louisiana. Louisiana Spent $7.7 Million on Death Penalty Defense in One Year
It Hasn’t Executed Anyone in 13 Years
MARCH 26, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: FOUR MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING IN LAGOS
A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja on 23 March 2023 sentenced four men to death by hanging for armed robbery and kidnapping of Mrs Gloria Emole.
MARCH 24, 2023IdahoDEATH PENALTYUSA - Idaho. Governor Brad Little signed HB 186 to execute inmates by firing squad
When lethal injection is unavailable
MARCH 23, 2023IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER ACTIVIST’S ABDUCTION
An Iraqi court has sentenced two men to death in absentia for the 2020 kidnapping and disappearance of an anti-government activist, the judiciary on March 22, 2023 said.
MARCH 23, 2023TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: HIGH COURT UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY FOR MALAYSIAN STUDENT'S KILLER
The Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court on March 23, 2023 upheld the death sentence of a man who raped and murdered a Malaysian student of Chang Jung Christian University in Tainan in October 2020.
- MARCH 22, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A woman and four men sentenced to death for spying for Israel
Nasim Namazi, Wafa Hanareh, Aram Omari Bardiani, Rahman Parhazo and Mansour Rasouli
- MARCH 22, 2023UgandaDEATH PENALTY
UGANDA: MPS PASS BILL IMPOSING DEATH PENALTY FOR HOMOSEXUALITY
MPs in Uganda have passed a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which would make homosexual acts punishable by death.
- MARCH 22, 2023IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SUPREME COURT COMMUTES DEATH PENALTY OF SUNDARRAJAN WHO MURDERED 7-YEAR-OLD BOY
The Supreme Court on March 21, 2023 commuted the death sentence of a man, who had kidnapped and killed a seven-year-old boy in Tamil Nadu in 2009, to 20-year imprisonment, saying there was “possibility of reformation” even though he has committed a ghastl
MARCH 22, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Happy Nowruz 1402 to the political prisoners and detainees of nationwide protests
Best wishes for the new (islamic) year
- MARCH 21, 2023BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 23 GET DEATH PENALTY FOR RAJIB MURDER IN MADARIPUR
A court has sentenced 23 people to death and six to life imprisonment in a case filed over the 2012 murder of Rajib Sardar in Madaripur. Four others were acquitted.
MARCH 21, 2023ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: MAN WHO KILLED WIFE EXECUTED IN HANGZHOU
Xu Guoli, who killed his wife in 2020, was executed on 21 March 2023 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, after the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court approved his death sentence, which was handed down in July 2021.
- MARCH 20, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
THE DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG OFFENCES: GLOBAL OVERVIEW 2022 (HARM REDUCTION INTERNATIONAL)
As of December 2022, Harm Reduction International (HRI) recorded at least 285 executions for drug offences globally during the year, a 118% increase from 2021, and an 850% increase from 2020.
MARCH 20, 2023PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: ZAHIR JAFFER GETS DOUBLE DEATH SENTENCE IN NOOR MUKADAM MURDER CASE
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on 13 March 2023 maintained the death sentence of accused Zahir Jaffar in the Noor Mukadam murder case, upholding the trial court's decision.
Show news 31–60 of 94
MARCH 20, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: 122 MALE, THREE FEMALE INMATES ON DEATH ROW IN GOMBE, BAUCHI
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) says it has at least 125 inmates on death row in its facilities in Gombe and Bauchi states.
MARCH 20, 2023IdahoDEATH PENALTYUSA - Idaho. Senate passed HB 186 to allow firing squad
MARCH 18, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: THREE AL-SHABAB MILITANTS EXECUTED
A military court in Somalia on 15 March 2023 executed three al-Shabab militants it said pretended to be a doctor and soldiers to carry out bombings and shootings.
MARCH 18, 2023IndianaDEATH PENALTYUSA - Indiana. Former death row inmate Thomas Schiro released from prison
MARCH 18, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 2 unidentified men sentenced to death in terrorist attack
On March 18
MARCH 18, 2023CanadaDEATH PENALTYCANADA - 54% of Canadians support death penalty
MARCH 17, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mohiyedin Ebrahimi executed in Urmia on March 17
Kurdish political prisoner
MARCH 17, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 5 men and 1 woman executed in Urmia on March 17
Forohar (or Ashir) Abbasnejad, Mohammad Ayoubian, Jahanbakhsh Radloui, Hassan Omari, Nasim Niazi, and Yasin Rashidi
MARCH 17, 2023CaliforniaDEATH PENALTYUSA - California. California to transform San Quentin from prison to rehab centre
MARCH 17, 2023CaliforniaDEATH PENALTYUSA - California. Press release from Governor Newsom on new prison policy
MARCH 17, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Not identified man executed in Khorramabad on March 17
- MARCH 16, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING BIOLOGICAL FATHER IN AKWA IBOM
Akwa Ibom State High court sitting in Etinan Local Government Area has sentenced one Moses Abdon Edo, aged 37, to death by hanging for killing his biological father, Abdon Peter Edo over a plot of land, Tribune Online reported on 14 March 2023.
MARCH 16, 2023TunisiaDEATH PENALTYTUNISIA: TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER DEADLY BLAST NEAR US EMBASSY
A Tunisian court has condemned to death two nationals of the North African country for a 2020 suicide attack that killed a policeman near the United States embassy, local media said on 14 March 2023.
MARCH 16, 2023United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - North Dakota. Federal prosecutors will not seek death for Alfonso Rodriguez
MARCH 15, 2023JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: HIGH COURT ORDERS RETRIAL OF LONGEST-SERVING DEATH ROW CONVICT OVER 1966 MURDER CASE
The world’s longest-serving death row convict was on 13 March 2023 granted a retrial by a Japanese court in the latest twist in a legal saga dating back to the 1960s.
MARCH 15, 2023MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO DEATH BY SIBU HIGH COURT
A drug dealer on 13 March 2023 was sentenced to death by Sibu High Court.
- MARCH 14, 2023Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: JORDANIAN MAN EXECUTED AFTER ALLEGEDLY GIVING FORCED CONFESSION
Saudi Arabia has executed a Jordanian man whose family say he was tortured into confessing to drugs charges, BBC reported on 13 March 2023.
- MARCH 14, 2023IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SEVEN RAPE CONVICTS GOT DEATH PENALTIES WITHIN 100 DAYS IN SURAT, SAYS GUJARAT HOME MINISTER
Within 100 days, seven persons have been given death penalty in rape cases in Surat, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi told the state legislature on 11 March 2023.
- MARCH 13, 2023BelarusDEATH PENALTY
BELARUS APPROVES DEATH PENALTY FOR OFFICIALS CONVICTED OF HIGH TREASON
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko signed a law on 9 March 2023 allowing for the use of the death penalty against officials and army servicemen convicted of high treason, his office said.
MARCH 13, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Over 82,000 people have been granted amnesty
Including nearly 23,000 protesters
MARCH 13, 2023United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Sayfullo Saipov sentenced to life in prison without parole
- MARCH 13, 2023FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Michael Renard Jackson sentenced to life in prison without parole
MARCH 12, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Over 100 individuals arrested for school gas attacks
MARCH 12, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Supreme court has upheld the death sentence of Habib Farajollah Chaab
MARCH 12, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 2 men executed in Shiraz on March 12
Tohid Ramezani, Nabi Langrani
MARCH 12, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ali Mekhan Seyfi executed in Kermanshah on March 12
158 executions since the beginning of the year
MARCH 12, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Salman Momeni executed in Arak on March 12
MARCH 11, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 4 men executed in Khorramabad on March 11
Zafar Hadipour, Nader Ebrahimpour, Younes Koulemrazi + Unk.
MARCH 10, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 4 men executed in Urmia on March 10
Sardar Jalalifar, Saleh Ghassemi, Mansour Abdizadeh + Unk
MARCH 10, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hossein Pourfayaz executed in Urmia on March 10
Show news 61–90 of 94
- MARCH 10, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Ahmad Bajizehi executed in Shiraz on March 10
- MARCH 9, 2023Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA: FIVE PERSONS SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER 2014 MURDER
Five persons were sentenced to death on 8 March 2023 in Sri Lanka for murder.
MARCH 9, 2023TexasDEATH PENALTYUSA - Texas. Arthur Brown Jr., 52, Black, was executed
9th inmate put to death this year in the U.S., 5th in Texas
MARCH 9, 2023SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT IN PUNTLAND EXECUTES 19 MEN BY FIRING SQUAD
Nineteen men were executed on 8 March 2023 by Puntland's military court.
MARCH 9, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Jalal Sardari Far executed in Urmia on March 9
- MARCH 8, 2023PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: THREE AWARDED DEATH PENALTY IN JOHAR TOWN BLAST CASE
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on 7 March 2023 convicted three more accused persons involved in Johar Town bomb blast case.
MARCH 8, 2023Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI MAN EXECUTED IN EASTERN PROVINCE OVER TERRORISM OFFENSES
A Saudi national in the Eastern Province was executed for terrorism offenses, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on 7 March 2023.
- MARCH 8, 2023FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. House committee approves easier death sentences
- MARCH 7, 2023CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Maurice Hastings exonerated
MARCH 7, 2023JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: OSAKA HIGH COURT APPROVES POSTHUMOUS RETRIAL OF MAN OVER 1984 MURDER
A Japanese high court approved on 27 February 2023 a posthumous retrial for a man convicted of robbing and murdering a 69-year-old woman in 1984 in western Japan, upholding a lower court's decision.
MARCH 7, 2023TexasDEATH PENALTYUSA - Texas. Gary Green, 51, Black, was executed
Already 4 executions in Texas since the beginning of the year
MARCH 7, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Meisham Bahram and Shah Bakhsh (Mahmoud) Ostadi executed in Bandar Abbas on March 7
144 executions since the beginning of the year
MARCH 6, 2023Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO NATIONALS EXECUTED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT, MURDER OFFENSES
Saudi Arabia has executed two nationals for sexual assault and murder offenses, the interior ministry said on 4 March 2023.
- MARCH 6, 2023FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Senate Justice Committee Backs Death Penalty Revamp
MARCH 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Bandar Abbas on March 6
Hamid Shahouzahi, Bahram Behzadi and Mohammad Amin Javashiri
MARCH 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Four men executed in Khorramabad on March 6
Ayat Aliari, Sohrab Sourilaki, Hassan Joudaki and … Akram
MARCH 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Death sentences for 6 Men Over Attacks In Southwest
Ali Mojadam, Mohammad Reza Moghadam, Moein Khanfari, Habib Deris, Adnan Ghobishavi and Salem Mousavi.
MARCH 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Supreme leader Khamenei orders punishment for schoolgirl poisoning
MARCH 5, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Kiumars Zarghami executed in Saqqez on March 5
- MARCH 3, 2023ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. Governor won't proceed with execution set by court
- MARCH 3, 2023IdahoDEATH PENALTY
USA - Idaho. House approves firing squad
HB 186 to be be considered by Senate
- MARCH 3, 2023BelgiumDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Belgium’s Top Court Issues Decree To Swap Iranian Diplomat
Assadi and Vandecasteele
MARCH 2, 2023Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER 2003 MURDER
The Colombo High Court on 1st March 2023 sentenced four accused to death after finding them guilty of killing a person using a sharp knife.
MARCH 2, 2023NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: 20-YEAR-OLD MAN TO DIE BY HANGING FOR ARMED ROBBERY
Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Ikeja Special Offences Court on 13 February 2023 sentenced a 20-year-old man, Nojeem Badmos, to death by hanging for armed robbery.
MARCH 2, 2023IdahoDEATH PENALTYUSA - Idaho. Pizzuto's Execution Rescheduled for 2nd Time
As State Scrambles to Find Lethal Injection Drugs
MARCH 2, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ghorban Ghorbanpour executed in Rasht on March 2
MARCH 1, 2023PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING WOMAN
A court in Pakistan on 24 February 2023 sentenced a man to death for murdering a woman in limits of Attock City police station on 12 April 2022.
MARCH 1, 2023IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: COURT AWARDS DEATH PENALTY TO 7 IN 2017 BHOPAL-UJJAIN TRAIN BLAST CASE
National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court on 28 February 2023 gave death sentences verdict to seven out of eight convicts in the 2017 Bhopal-Ujjain passenger train blast case.
MARCH 1, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - At least 102 executions in the first two months of 2023
According to Hengaw. HoC counts at least 123 executions.
- MARCH 1, 2023IdahoDEATH PENALTY
USA - Idaho. House Judiciary Committee passes firing squad
Show news 91–94 of 94
MARCH 1, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Shiraz on March 1
Mansour Saeedi, Asghar Khosh Sima and Abbas Homavar
- MARCH 1, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Ali Doudkanlu executed in Urmia on March 1
122 executions since the beginning of the year
MARCH 1, 2023CaliforniaDEATH PENALTYUSA - California - Robert Kennedy assassin Sirhan Sirhan denied parole for 16th time
- MARCH 1, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Mohammad Dosti Nejad executed in Hamadan on March 1