The number of executions worldwide increased by 78% in 2025, with Iran being in first place, according to Amnesty.

Amnesty International reported an alarming increase in executions worldwide in 2025, with a total of at least 2,707 executions, the highest number recorded since 1981, not including executions in China.

This 78% increase compared to 2024 is largely attributed to Iran, where executions have doubled, reaching 2,159, most of them by hanging. Iranian authorities have intensified the use of the death penalty as a tool of political control, especially after the 12-day conflict with Israel and the United States. Amnesty emphasizes that nearly half of the executions in Iran are related to drug offenses.

Other countries with notable executions include Saudi Arabia, Yemen, the United States, and Egypt. Amnesty's Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, condemned the use of the death penalty as a method of intimidation and control over vulnerable populations.