In a concerning development, Amnesty International's annual report on the death penalty reveals that 2024 saw a staggering rise in the number of executions worldwide, marking the highest figure in over a decade. The report indicates that a total of 1,518 executions were confirmed globally, which represents a significant 32% increase from the previous year. This alarming statistic not only eclipses the numbers from 2023 but also approaches the heights of 2015, when 1,634 executions were recorded.

While the report underscores this harrowing increase in executions, it also notes a paradoxical trend: the number of countries that actively carried out executions is at its lowest point on record. This highlights a troubling reality where a small number of countries are responsible for the overwhelming majority of executions. In fact, Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia alone accounted for an astonishing 91% of all executions performed globally in 2024.

The situation in Iraq is particularly striking, where the number of executions surged almost fourfold, escalating from at least 16 in 2023 to at least 63 in 2024. Similarly, Saudi Arabia experienced a doubling of its execution count, rising from 172 to at least 345. Meanwhile, Iran, which has been consistently highlighted for its use of the death penalty, saw an increase of 119 executions compared to the previous year, bringing its total to at least 972. Among those executed were 30 women, and the figures from Iran alone accounted for a staggering 64% of the global total of executions.

Amnesty International's report also drew attention to the fact that all recorded executions in Iraq were connected to terrorism offenses. In contrast, around half of the executions in Iran were related to drug offenses, an area in which the organization has long argued that the death penalty is not only ineffective but violates international human rights laws.

The report identified other nations where executions increased, such as Egypt, which saw a rise from eight executions in 2023 to 13 in 2024. In Singapore, the number of executions nearly doubled, climbing from five to nine, while Yemen experienced a more than twofold increase from at least 15 to at least 38 executions.

In the United States, the figures are also sobering, with a total of 25 executions recorded, which is one more than in 2023 and the highest number since 2018. Notably, this data reflects the last year of Joe Biden's presidency, during which he maintained a cautious approach toward the death penalty. His successor, Donald Trump, has openly indicated his intention to robustly pursue capital punishment, citing it as a means of protecting citizens from violent crimes.

Amnesty International reported that only 15 countries were responsible for carrying out executions in 2024, representing the lowest count recorded for the second consecutive year. Encouragingly, the report noted that 113 countries have now abolished the death penalty entirely, while 145 others have either removed it from their laws or have effectively ceased its application in practice. Additionally, several nations have made legal efforts to limit the usage of the death penalty further, and for the first time, over two-thirds of all UN member states voted in favor of a resolution advocating for a moratorium on capital punishment.

Agnès Callamard, the Secretary-General of Amnesty International, commented on these trends, emphasizing that the nations that continue to impose the death penalty are part of an “isolated minority.” She expressed optimism that the global sentiment is shifting against what she described as a “cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.” However, she warned that in specific countries, particularly Iran and Saudi Arabia, the death penalty is being weaponized under the false premise of enhancing public safety. Furthermore, it is also being employed as a tool to suppress political dissent, targeting those who dare to voice their opposition.

In an alarming finding, Amnesty highlighted that over 40% of executions in 2024 were carried out for drug-related offenses. The organization reiterated its stance that such practices are not only in violation of international human rights laws and standards but also have no demonstrable impact on curbing drug trafficking. This ongoing reliance on capital punishment for drug offenses raises significant ethical concerns and questions about the efficacy of the death penalty as a legal recourse.