18 May 2026
Global figures
Global executions
Amnesty International recorded at least 2,707 executions in 2025 in 17 countries, an increase of 78% from the 1,518 known executions in 2024. It is the highest figure recorded by Amnesty International since 1981 when it recorded 3,191 executions (excluding China).
China remained the world’s leading executioner, but the true extent of its use of the death penalty remains unknown as this data remains classified as a state secret. The global figure of executions recorded by Amnesty International excludes the thousands of executions believed to have been carried out in China, as well as those carried out in Viet Nam and North Korea where Amnesty International believes the death penalty was used extensively.
