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| Aubrey Harris |
Amnesty International’s just-released annual report on death sentences and executions contains sobering statistics. We found that although the number of countries carrying out executions has continued to fall, the number of recorded executions rose to more than 1,500 last year. This does not include the thousands of people believed to have been executed in China.
Ninety-one per cent of the recorded executions (1,380 out of 1,518) took place in just three countries in the Middle East: Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. At least 637 executions were carried out for drug-related offences, in countries such as China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Singapore. Vietnam very likely also carried out such executions. Executing someone for drug-related offences is a violation of international law. Other violations of international law included public executions (Afghanistan and Iran) and at least eight executions of people in Iran and Somalia for crimes that occurred when they were under 18 years of age.
Commutations and pardons happened in 18 countries. Nine people who had been sentenced to death were exonerated in Japan, Malaysia and the United States.
2024 also saw a rise in the use of — and threats to use — the death penalty under false claims of public security or to instill fear in the population.
Amnesty International’s global secretary general, Agnès Callamard, noted:
“Those who dare challenge authorities have faced the most cruel of punishments, particularly in Iran and Saudi Arabia, with the death penalty used to silence those brave enough to speak out.
“In 2024, Iran persisted in their use of the death penalty to punish individuals who had challenged the Islamic Republic establishment during the Woman Life Freedom uprising. Last year saw two of those people — including a youth with a mental disability — executed in connection with the uprising following unfair trials and torture-tainted ‘confessions,’ proving how far the authorities are willing to go to tighten their grip on power.”
“In 2024, Iran persisted in their use of the death penalty to punish individuals who had challenged the Islamic Republic establishment during the Woman Life Freedom uprising. Last year saw two of those people — including a youth with a mental disability — executed in connection with the uprising following unfair trials and torture-tainted ‘confessions,’ proving how far the authorities are willing to go to tighten their grip on power.”
Progress for abolition also continued, with Zimbabwe abolishing the death penalty for ordinary crimes. At the UN, over two-thirds of member states voted in favour of a General Assembly resolution calling for a universal moratorium on executions. Japan also declined to appeal the acquittal of Hakamada Iwao (after more than 50 years on death row). In the United States, Rocky Myers received clemency having his death sentence commuted by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, after serious flaws in his case were raised by his family and legal team, a former juror, local activists and the international community.
“When people prioritize campaigning for an end to the death penalty, it really does work,” said Agnès Callamard. “Despite the minority of leaders determined to weaponize the death penalty, the tide is turning. It’s only a matter of time until the world is free from the shadows of the gallows.”
More information on our findings and free access to the report is available here.
Aubrey Harris is the co-ordinator in the Amnesty International Campaign to Abolish the Death Penalty, Canadian Section (English-Speaking Branch). He can be reached at dpacoordinator@amnesty.ca.
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