Global execution figures hit highest level in almost a decade, says Amnesty

Global executions reached their highest levels in almost a decade in 2024, according to a new report released by Amnesty International.

Amnesty said that 1,518 executions were carried out worldwide in 2024, marking a 32% increase from the 1,153 executions in the previous year.

The death penalty is illegal in Europe with the notable exception of Belarus, which continues to carry out executions. 

China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Yemen ranked at the top of the report, while three of those countries — Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia — accounted for 91% of known executions.

"Those who dare challenge authorities have faced the most cruel of punishments, particularly in Iran and Saudi Arabia, with the death penalty used to silence those brave enough to speak out," said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International's Secretary General.

The known totals do not include the thousands of people believed to have been executed in China, which remains the world's leading executioner, as well as North Korea and Vietnam which are also believed to extensively resort to the death penalty.

Asides from being used to silence dissent, 40% of death penalties were carried out unlawfully for drug-related offences.

Under international law the death penalty must only be used for the "most serious crimes" — a threshold that drug-related offences do not meet.

Although the number of global executions rose in 2024, just 15 countries are known to have carried these sentences out — the lowest number on record for the second year running.

"While secrecy continued to shroud scrutiny in some countries that we believe are responsible for thousands of executions, it's evident that states that retain the death penalty are an isolated minority," Callamard said.

Although the death penalty has been abolished in law or in practice in 70% of countries, some states did go against this trend in 2024.

In March, the Democratic Republic of Congo announced it planned to resume executions, while Burkina Faso's military authorities said in November that they were working on reintroducing the death penalty for ordinary crimes.