Alarming rise: record number of executions worldwide in 2025, Iran in the lead, according to Amnesty International

Executions: Record high in 2025

• The number of executions documented worldwide by the human rights NGO skyrocketed last year, increasing by over 80% compared to 2024.
• A total of 2,707 executions were recorded outside China, a record level since 1981.
• This “unprecedented increase” is mainly linked to Iran’s repressive policy, which executed 2,159 people last year.

“A staggering increase,” fueled by “a handful of determined governments ruling by fear.” The number of executions documented worldwide rose in 2025, reaching its highest level since 1981, according to Monday’s annual report by Amnesty International. A significant jump is attributed to the situation in Iran, where executions more than doubled from the previous year.

The London-based human rights organization identified at least 2,707 executions globally in 2025 but noted that this number excludes the thousands of executions in China, which continues to have the highest number of executions globally.

Iran: A “tool of repression and political control”

Iran alone accounted for 80% of executions documented by Amnesty in 2025, making its authorities “the main drivers of this surge,” according to the NGO. A total of 2,159 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, compared to 972 in 2024. Amnesty notes that “Iranian authorities intensified their use of the death penalty as a tool for repression and political control, fueling an unprecedented rise in the number of executions.”

After the 12-Day War between Iran, Israel, and the US in June, a significant increase in executions was observed. Prior to the conflict, 654 executions were documented, rising to 1,505 between July and December. Nearly half (998) of the executions in Iran in 2025 were related to drug law violations, doubling from the previous year.

Additional executions in Iran were reported following the January protests and the start of the conflict in the Middle East on February 28. At least 21 individuals were executed in Iran for political reasons or national security concerns, according to the UN.

A “shameful minority” of countries perpetuate fear

In other parts of the world, Saudi Arabia carried out 356 executions, Yemen at least 51, the US 47, Egypt 23, Somalia, Singapore, and Kuwait 17. A total of 17 countries conducted executions, with a notable emphasis on punitive measures in the war on drugs.

“This shameful minority of states uses the death penalty to instill fear, crush dissent, and demonstrate the power institutions exert over marginalized people and populations,” said Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnès Callamard. She expressed concern about the “alarming rise in the use of the death penalty” and urged countries to align with global standards and abolish this practice.

Despite these challenges, Amnesty notes progress in regions where executions and death sentences were absent, proving that hope is more powerful than fear. Currently, over half of the world’s countries have officially abolished the death penalty.