Amnesty International reports a sharp increase in global executions last year

The number of executions worldwide increased in 2023, reaching the highest level since 2015. Amnesty International reported 1,153 executions last year, a 30% rise from 2022. This number does not include executions in China due to lack of data. Iran had the most executions, with at least 853 people executed, up from 576 in 2022. Among those executed were women, children, and the Baluch minority, showing a disregard for human life. The rise in executions was mainly due to Iran, where many were executed for drug-related offenses. This highlighted how the death penalty affects marginalized communities. The top five countries for executions in 2023 were China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, and the United States. The total number of executions was the highest since 2015. In the U.S., executions increased from 18 to 24, with some states showing strong support for the death penalty. Some states in the U.S. introduced bills for new execution methods like firing squads and nitrogen gas. Despite these setbacks, the number of countries carrying out executions decreased to 16, the lowest since monitoring began. This shows progress in reducing the use of the death penalty globally.