According to a recent report from Amnesty International, at least 2,707 people were executed worldwide in 2025 across 17 countries. This figure is reported to be higher than any annual count since 1981.
This dramatic increase of 78 percent compared to the previous year was driven primarily by a handful of nations, notably China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Ironically, the report notes that over two-thirds of the world’s countries have abolished the death penalty, either legally or in practice.
Major increases were seen in specific states. Iran alone recorded a minimum of 2,159 executions in 2025-more than double the number from the prior year. Saudi Arabia reported at least 356 executions. Increases were also observed in the United States (rising from 35 to 47), Singapore (from 9 to 17), Egypt (from 13 to 23), and Kuwait (from 6 to 17). Furthermore, other nations that executed the death penalty during 2025 included Afghanistan, Iraq, Japan, Yemen, North Korea, Somalia, South Sudan, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.
Amnesty International cautions that the 2,707 executions documented globally only represent a fraction of the actual scope, as executions in China were not recorded because related data is considered a state secret. The group estimates that potentially thousands of individuals are executed annually in China.
A notable trend observed is the link between drug offenses and capital punishment. Almost half of all documentable executions in 2025 were connected to drug crimes. Specific figures include 998 executions in Iran, 240 in Saudi Arabia, 15 in Singapore, and 2 in Kuwait. This trend is fueling the expansion of the death penalty in other areas: Algeria, Kuwait, and the Maldives have proposed legislative drafts aimed at applying capital punishment to drug-related offenses. Additionally, in countries such as Burkina Faso and Chad, the possibility of reintroducing the death penalty for crimes like “treason” “terrorism” and “espionage” remains a looming concern.
