More people have been executed than in previous years.

Iran, which uses the death penalty, among other measures, to suppress political dissent, has the highest number of executions. ZumaWire/MVPHOTOS

The dismal figures overshadow the previous year.

More people are being executed around the world than in nearly a decade. According to human rights organization Amnesty International, at least 1,153 people were executed by authorities in different countries in 2023.

In reality, the number is much higher. China, North Korea and Vietnam, for example, do not disclose their statistics.

According to Amnesty International, the countries with the highest number of executions are China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and the United States.

– An Amnesty International press release stated that although there are no exact figures for China, it is clear that China remains the world’s largest executioner.

Among countries that report executions to the public, Iran carries out the most executions. It accounts for 74% of all recorded executions.

The number of death sentences imposed last year also increased by 20% compared to the previous year.

Those executed are becoming a minority

There is also a brighter figure in the statistics. In the history of Amnesty International’s statistics, there has never been a year in which so few countries have implemented the death penalty.

Last year, executions were carried out in 16 different countries.

Belarus, Japan, Myanmar and South Sudan did not carry out any executions. All of these countries carried out executions in 2022.

– Amnesty International Finland Executive Director, Despite the increase in the number of executions last year, it is clear that fewer and fewer countries in the world carry out executions, including individual countries Frank Johnson The announcement said.

– In fact, 89 of all executions recorded in 2023 were carried out in Iran and Saudi Arabia

‘No longer feeling safe’

112 countries have fully banned the death penalty, and 144 countries have banned it either in law or in practice.

No country in South Africa has given up the death penalty as a punishment. However, Kenya, Liberia and Zimbabwe have yet to pass bills to end the death penalty.

Amnesty International called on all countries to stop executions.

– Johnson said the death penalty does not increase safety or serve as a deterrent to reduce crime.

– Furthermore, the discrimination inherent in its use and the disproportionate targeting of minorities exacerbate human rights violations in the criminal justice system.