In 2023, the number of recorded executions worldwide soared to its highest level since 2015, with a significant increase in Iran and across the Middle East. This is according to a report by Amnesty International.
The human rights group stated that a total of 1,153 executions were recorded in 2023, marking a 30% increase from 2022 and the highest recorded since 2015, when 1,634 executions were known. Amnesty clarified that this figure does not include thousands of death sentences believed to have been carried out in China, where data is unavailable due to state secrecy.
According to Amnesty, the surge in recorded executions was primarily driven by Iran, where authorities executed at least 853 individuals last year, compared to 576 in 2022. Among them were 24 women and five individuals who were minors when the crimes were committed.
Amnesty asserted that China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and the United States were the top five countries with the highest number of executions in 2023. The report cited the introduction of bills to carry out executions via firing squad in Idaho and Tennessee, and Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas as a new untested method of execution in January.
Amnesty concluded by noting that, despite setbacks, there have been some improvements as the number of countries conducting executions dropped to 16, the lowest ever recorded since the group began monitoring.
