In 2024, Amnesty International reported a total of 1,518 executions carried out under the death penalty worldwide, showing a significant increase of 32% compared to the previous year when 1,153 individuals were executed. This marks the highest level of executions since 2015.
The majority of these executions, 91% to be exact, were concentrated in three countries – Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, totaling 1,380. Egypt, Singapore, and Yemen also saw notable increases in executions, while Somalia experienced a decrease.
Within the United States, 25 executions took place in 2024, up from 24 in the previous year. States such as Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina, and Utah resumed executions during this period.
Notably, there were 637 reported executions carried out unlawfully for drug-related offenses last year, with countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore being among the offenders.
Additionally, eight individuals were executed for crimes committed when they were under the age of 18.
As depicted in the chart below, compiled by Statista’s Anna Fleck, while the total number of executions has been on the rise, the number of countries practicing the death penalty has actually decreased.
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In 2024, 15 countries carried out executions, a decrease from 40 nations in 1997.
While the number of executions remains concerning, the issuance of new death sentences also saw a decline from 2,428 across 52 countries in 2023 to 2,087 across 46 countries in 2024.
China is believed to have the highest number of executions, likely numbering in the thousands. However, due to the secretive nature of the Chinese state, the exact figures remain unknown.
Notably, figures for North Korea and Vietnam are also unavailable, meaning that Amnesty International’s reported numbers represent the minimum estimates for global executions.
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