The number of executions globally has surged to the highest level since 2015, with over 1,500 documented cases in 2024, primarily driven by Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Despite this alarming trend, only 15 countries continue to practice capital punishment, marking a record low.
Sharp Increase in Global Executions Noted Despite Decline in Countries Utilizing Death Penalty
Sharp Increase in Global Executions Noted Despite Decline in Countries Utilizing Death Penalty
Amnesty International's latest report reveals a worrying rise in executions worldwide amidst the lowest recorded number of death penalty-implementing nations.
The worldwide landscape of capital punishment has taken a concerning turn, as the latest report from Amnesty International reveals that executions in 2024 have reached their highest peak in a decade. Over 1,500 executions were recorded this year, with Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia collectively accounting for approximately 1,380 of these cases, while the United States was responsible for 25 executions.
Despite this surge, Mercy International notes that just 15 countries are now known to carry out the death penalty, the lowest such number since records began. Agnes Callamard, the Secretary General of Amnesty International, expressed optimism about ending capital punishment, stating that "the tide is turning" and that liberation from "the shadow of the gallows" is on the horizon.
The numbers for 2024 not only represent an increase since 2015, when at least 1,634 executions were documented, but they also likely underestimate the true toll, particularly as vital data from China — where thousands of executions are believed to occur — remains classified as state secret. North Korea and Vietnam are similarly unaccounted for in the report due to their opaque handling of execution statistics.
The report highlights a significant rise in executions in Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Iraq saw its number of executions climb nearly fourfold from at least 16 in the previous year to a documented at least 63. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's recorded executions doubled to 345, and Iran witnessed an increase from 853 to 972 executions.
Amnesty identifies two principal motivations behind this spike in capital punishment: governments targeting protesters and the enforcement of drug-related laws. Alarmingly, over 40% of the executions carried out this year were for drug offenses, which Amnesty contends are unlawful under international human rights law.
In a notable shift, Zimbabwe recently abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes. Furthermore, since September 2024, legal advancements were observed with death row inmates in Japan and the United States being acquitted and granted clemency, respectively. The report concluded by noting that last year, more than two-thirds of UN member states showed support for moratoriums on the death penalty, indicating a potential shift in global attitudes towards this controversial practice.
