Global execution reaches the highest figure in almost a decade

Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq were responsible for 90% of the recorded cases and were responsible for the steep spikes. Iran tops the list. It killed at least 972 people from 853 a year ago.
The figures in Saudi Arabia doubled by at least 345 – Human Rights Watchdog Amnesty International recorded the most for the country. In Iraq, the death penalty was implemented 63 times, quadruple of almost numbers compared to 2023.
Amnesty International, however, nominated China as the “World Lead Executive” in its annual report, said the available information indicated that thousands of people were executed there. The country refuses to disclose data. The NGO resorted to a massive death sentence to North Korea and Vietnam.
Silence of dissatisfaction
Saudi Arabia has seen a rapid growth in execution despite Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s agenda of modernization and his vows to curb their use. Amnesty International said that crushing political dissatisfaction was a major purpose.
The NGO said that Saudi officials continued to weap the death penalty to punish citizens from the Shia minorities of the country who supported the “anti -government” protests between 2011 and 2013.
In August, the authorities carried out Abdulmajid al-Nimr for crimes related to terrorism related to joining al-Qaeda, despite the documents of the early courts who clearly referred to his involvement in protests.
“In the media, we noticed how the authorities used the case to spin a story related to terrorism and terrorism, which shows how terrorism could be used as a tool so that the perception can be pushed forward that the death penalty is required to resolve and protect the public.”
In Iran, there were two more execution regarding nationwide due to the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022. A 23 -year -old Mohammad Ghobdalau was a protector with a long -term mental health status.
AI general secretary Agnus Colomard said, “Those who dare to challenge the officials, especially in Iran and Saudi Arabia, have faced the most cruelty to the punishment used to silence those brave, with death sentence.
Drugs crime
In 2024, more than 40% of the execution drugs belonged to the drug. According to Amnesty report, drugs in Singapore and China are also widely prevalent to carrying forward the death penalty for crimes.
“In many contexts, people have been found to be sentenced to death for drug related crimes, which inconsistently affects those from the deprived background, while it has no proven effects in reducing drug trafficking,” Calmard said.
He said that currently the state considering the capital punishment for crimes related to drugs like Maldives, Nigeria and Tonga should be called out and encouraged to place human rights at the center of their drug policies.
In Malaysia, however, some 1,000 people who were on the death line – in several drug charges – have been reprimanded in 2023 as a result of the prescribed reforms in the proposal. The country removed the mandatory capital punishment for crimes including smuggling.
Exterior, United States
The United States remains external in Western democracy in the use of death punishment. According to Amnesty International, there was only a slight increase in the US about 24 to 25 execution in 2024.
“The figures talk of very few historical yogas when it comes to execution and sentences, however, last year we saw four states resumed, South Carolina, Georgia, Utah and Indiana. It was deeply worrying because these were states where they were not done for many years.”
In Alabama, the number of execution increased three times and included the use of nitrogen gas. The United Nations monitor has stated that nitrogen can torture death with hypoxia.
However, signs of hope
Despite the dangerous spike in execution in 2024, the NGO said only 15 countries were known to fulfill the death sentence – the second consecutive year the figure has been low. “This indicates a change from this cruel, inhuman and derogatory punishment,” Calmard said. “It is clear that it is said that maintaining the death penalty is a isolated minority,” he said.
A total of 145 countries have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice. And for the first time, the two-thirds of the United Nations General Assembly voted in favor of a adjournment on the use of death sentence.
In 2024, Zimbabwe signed a bill in the law, which abolished the death sentence, while maintaining the right to restore it in terms of emergency situation. Some 60 people are expected to sentence death. Six other African countries have taken similar steps since 2021.
Chiara Sangijio, expert of death sentence, received the degree of trend towards elimination in Africa. “Overall, the story in Africa has been a success story, a story of Asha, leadership, when it comes to human rights and does not buy in the story of death penalty, as magic is fine for crime and problems,” she said.