Global Executions Reach Decade High in 2023, Amnesty International Reports

Executions worldwide soared to their highest level in nearly a decade in 2023, as detailed in a new report by human rights organization Amnesty International.

The report reveals that at least 1,153 executions were carried out globally last year, representing a staggering increase of over 30% from 2022. This tally marks the highest number of executions recorded by Amnesty since 2015, when 1,634 people were put to death.

The sharp rise in executions was driven primarily by a dramatic spike across the Middle East region. Six countries in this area – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, North Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam – were confirmed to have conducted executions in 2023, down slightly from eight the previous year. However, the report highlighted that Iran alone was responsible for a staggering 74% of all recorded executions worldwide.

“The huge spike in recorded executions was primarily down to Iran. The Iranian authorities showed complete disregard for human life and ramped up executions for drug-related offenses, further highlighting the discriminatory impact of the death penalty on Iran’s most marginalized and impoverished communities,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

Other countries that carried out a high number of executions included Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and the United States. Amnesty also noted a 20% increase in the global number of death sentences handed down in 2023, reaching a total of 2,428.

The report emphasized the disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups, with the Baluchi ethnic minority in Iran accounting for 20% of recorded executions despite making up only around 5% of the population. Tragically, the executions also included at least 24 women and 5 individuals who were children at the time of their crimes.