The number of executions worldwide reached its highest level in more than four decades in 2025, driven largely by a sharp increase in Iran, Amnesty International said.
At least 2,707 people are known to have been put to death, according to the rights group's annual review. That marks a 78% jump from 2024 and is the highest figure Amnesty has recorded since 1981, when 3,191 executions were logged.
The figures exclude China, which Amnesty believes executed thousands of people, making it the world's top executioner. The country refuses to disclose data.
The group attributed the surge to governments using capital punishment to project authority, saying they had placed "this cruel punishment at the center of flawed public security and 'tough on crime' narratives to assert control, project state power and score political points."
Key facts from Amnesty's 'Death sentences and execution report 2025'
