Global Executions Hit Decade-High in 2024, Driven by Middle East Nations

Amnesty International reports a sharp rise in executions, with Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq accounting for over 90% of cases, while global abolition efforts continue to gain traction.

• At least 1,518 executions were recorded in 2024, marking a 32% increase from the previous year and the highest figure since 2015, according to Amnesty International.
• Iran led global execution numbers with 972 cases, followed by Saudi Arabia at 345 and Iraq at 63, collectively responsible for over 90% of known executions.
• The death penalty is increasingly being used to suppress dissent and target minorities, particularly in Iran and Saudi Arabia, where protesters and marginalized groups face harsh punishments.
• Drug-related offenses accounted for approximately 42% of known executions, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged communities and raising concerns about human rights violations.
• Despite the surge, only 15 countries carried out executions in 2024, reflecting a broader global shift toward abolition, with 145 nations now having eliminated the death penalty in law or practice.

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