Amnesty International has pointed out a “worrying increase in the use of the death penalty” around the world in its annual report released on Monday, May 18. The number of executions has reached a record level since 1981, showing a 78% increase compared to 2024 when 1,518 executions were recorded.
Interestingly, the number of countries still practicing the death penalty is now half of what it was 45 years ago. In 1981, 34 countries applied the death penalty, compared to 17 in 2025. Currently, 113 countries have completely abolished the death penalty, while 86 states still enforce it.
While some states with repressive regimes use the death penalty to suppress dissent, other countries known for human rights adherence rank high on Amnesty International’s list. The United States, for instance, is among the top five countries using the death penalty in 2025.
In the U.S., there were 47 executions in 2025, a significant increase since 2009. This surge can be attributed to a decree signed by Donald Trump upon his return to the White House in early 2025, which mandated systematic use of the death penalty for serious crimes.
Amnesty International also highlights Iran’s responsibility for the recent spike in executions, with numbers doubling compared to 2024. The report mentions that executions in Iran are used as a means to silence dissent or punish drug-related offenses.
China and Vietnam classify execution-related data as state secrets, making it challenging to obtain official figures. Despite this lack of transparency, Amnesty International estimates China as the leading country in carrying out over 1,000 executions in 2025, primarily targeting corruption-related crimes.
The report also criticizes countries implementing the death penalty for violating international law, where instances of forced confessions, unfair trials, and sentencing individuals with mental disabilities to death have been observed. Amnesty International emphasizes that there is no credible evidence suggesting that the death penalty acts as a better deterrent than imprisonment, citing the example of Canada’s reduced homicides following the abolition of the death penalty in 1976.
