Tokyo, Japan – Despite many countries abolishing the use of capital punishment, the number of executions continues to rise globally. According to Amnesty International, the data compiled from official statistics, media reports, and firsthand information indicates that China leads in the number of executions, although exact figures are undisclosed by the Chinese government.
In 2022, Amnesty International recorded 883 executions worldwide, marking the highest number since 2017. However, this figure is significantly lower compared to peak years like 1988, 1989, and 2015, where over 1,500 people were executed annually. The organization also reported that at least 2,016 death sentences were imposed in 2022 across 52 countries, with a global estimate of 28,282 individuals under sentence of death by the end of the year.
The report highlights that 20 countries carried out executions in 2022, an increase from 18 in the previous year. Besides China, notable countries with high execution rates include Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United States. Iran specifically conducted at least three public executions and executed five individuals for offenses committed when they were minors.
Amnesty International identifies 11 countries as persistent executioners, including China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the US, Vietnam, and Yemen. The report also suggests that North Korea likely maintains a high rate of execution, although verification is challenging. Saudi Arabia notably hit a 30-year high in executions in 2022, while five countries that had not used capital punishment for years, such as Bahrain and South Korea, imposed death sentences.
In terms of execution methods, Saudi Arabia remained the only country to list beheading as an official method in 2022. Other techniques included hanging, lethal injection, and death by shooting. The US state of Alabama recently approved the use of nitrogen gas for executions due to the scarcity of traditional lethal injection drugs, reflecting a broader trend of drug shortages contributing to the decline in the use of the death penalty in the US.
Overall, the global landscape of capital punishment continues to evolve, with some countries abolishing the practice entirely, while others persist in its implementation, sparking debates about human rights, justice, and the role of the state in taking lives. It remains a complex and contentious issue that requires ongoing global dialogue and examination.