Execution

Rare Saudi execution during Muslim holy month

Citing Saudi interior ministry capital punishment data, the human rights group said "no sentence has been implemented during the holy month" since 2009 in the kingdom, one of the world's most prolific executioners

Death by Bullet: Why does Idaho want to bring back firing squads for executing prisoners?

Idaho lawmakers have passed a bill that would allow firing squads to execute inmates on death row. The bill has now been sent to the governor for approval. But why does the US state want to revert to this old form of capital punishment?

What does Joe Biden's silence on the death penalty mean?

US president Joe Biden campaigned on a pledge to work toward abolishing federal capital punishment. But the Justice Department continues to press for the death penalty in certain cases — even as a moratorium means no federal executions are likely to happen anytime soon

Who is Alireza Akbari, ex-deputy Iranian defence minister, that Tehran plans to execute for espionage?

Alireza Akbari, a British-Iranian dual national, has been found guilty by Iran of spying for the UK. The former Iranian official – arrested in 2019 – has denied the charges, while Britain has called on Tehran to halt his execution

Young and Bold: The Iranians facing death over protests

According to rights groups, a doctor, rap artists, and a footballer are among the two dozen Iranians who face hanging as Tehran uses capital punishment as an intimidation tactic to quell protests

Taliban executes man convicted for murder; first death penalty after regaining power

The announcement in a way emphasized on the the intentions the Taliban to continue hardline policies implemented since they took over the country in August 2021 and to stick to their interpretation of the Islamic law, or Sharia

Iran executes four people accused of working for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency

Israel and Iran are regional arch-enemies and Iran occasionally announces the detention of people it says are spying for foreign countries, including the United States and Israel

Explained: The two-fold rise in executions in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has executed twice as many people in 2022 as it did last year. The most recent execution was of a Jordanian national convicted of smuggling amphetamine tablets, bringing the year's total to 138, up from 69 last year

A look back at historical events that took place on 15 October

On this day, while the exotic dancer Mata Hari was executed in 1917 by a French firing squad for espionage, in 1935 Emperor Haile Selassie waged a Holy War to recapture the sacred city of Aksum from the Italians

What is nitrogen hypoxia, the untried execution method that Alabama wants to use?

In 2018 Alabama became the third state — along with Oklahoma and Mississippi — to authorise the untested use of nitrogen gas to execute prisoners