Amnesty International reports that state-sanctioned executions worldwide nearly doubled last year, reaching the highest level in decades. The group says that in 2025 at least 2,707 people were executed, with the actual total likely higher because some countries do not provide complete information. Amnesty characterizes the figure as the highest since 1981, describing it as a 44-year high.
Multiple outlets cite Amnesty’s finding that the number of death sentences and executions continues to increase globally. China is reported to account for the largest number of cases, though the report notes that data limitations make exact figures difficult to verify. Amnesty also highlights changes in other countries, including Iran, where it says executions nearly doubled compared with 2024.
While the overall trend is described as sharply upward, Amnesty notes that there may be some signs of possible progress in certain places. Overall, the reports present Amnesty’s 2025 monitoring as evidence of widening use of the death penalty alongside difficulties in obtaining full, consistent information from all jurisdictions.
