Overview

• Amnesty International recorded 1,518 executions in 2024, a 32% increase from 2023 and the highest number since 2015.
• Iran accounted for 64% of known executions, with 972 people put to death, many for political dissent or drug-related offenses.
• Saudi Arabia doubled its executions to at least 345, while Iraq quadrupled its total to 63, reflecting intensified political repression in these countries.
• The report excludes data from China, North Korea, and Vietnam due to secrecy, though China is believed to execute thousands annually.
• Despite the rise in executions, only 15 countries carried them out in 2024, the lowest number ever recorded, signaling a global trend toward abolition.