Execution is on the rise in many countries, leading to concerns. As per the reports of the BBC and CNN, the execution has been rising in many countries. But the execution is rising since 2015 in different countries, though the number of global executions does not decisively rise every year. While there were 1634 executions in 2015, the number of executions was 1153 in 2023 and 1518 in 2024 globally. Though global concerns have been growing over the execution, it is being carried out in more than 50 countries at present and is on the rise in many countries. Though some countries have reduced the execution it remains unclear how much it will reduce all over the world.
Executions are mostly carried out in several countries in Asia but there is a considerable number of executions in other regions including Africa. China executes more than any other country and its executions are rendered to be more than 1000 per year. But the number of executions in China, along with North Korea and Vietnam, is unrevealed or often remains unknown. If the number of executions of China and is added, actual executions will be higher globally. Iran, North Korea and Iraq also contribute to the rise in executions globally. Among those countries whose execution is revealed, Iran is the number one country. At least 1000 people have been executed between January 1 and September 23, 2025 — the highest for several decades — in Iran. But there was a notable increase in execution in several countries including Iran, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
But there are various reasons for the rise in executions. The global rise in executions is largely driven by a significant increase in the death penalty for drug offenses. A surge in drug-related executions, particularly in Iran and Saudi Arabia, accounts for a major part of the increase. Drug offenses represented the highest proportion of known executions globally in 2023 since 2016. Other contributing factors include political responses to terrorism and crime and the expansion of crimes punishable by death, which is often accompanied by discriminatory practices against marginalized communities. In some regions, the death penalty has been reinstated or expanded as a response to high-profile acts of terrorism or perceived increases in crime. For example, Pakistan resumed executions after a terrorist attack.
But, importantly, political, religious and other reasons are responsible for the rise in the number of the execution, many of which are probably avoidable, in many countries. Executions are used to punish crimes considered political, such as treason, espionage, or questioning the leader’s policies and are influenced by a government’s political system, such as authoritarianism. Governments use the death penalty to silence political opponents, punish acts of protest and prevent challenges to their authority. Executions are also a tool for many authoritarian regimes to intimidate the population and demonstrate their absolute control. In some cases, executions are carried out for crimes like “corruption on earth” or blasphemy, which are used to enforce a specific religious or political ideology.
The judicial process also leads to executions. The rise in executions is sometimes coupled with a disregard for fair trial standards. The lack of fair trials leads to unfair sentences and the use of death penalties as a tool for political control and the suppression of the opposition in many countries especially in politically repressive countries. Confessions are sometimes rendered to be coerced, and executions are often carried out secretly, without notification to families or lawyers. The death penalty is sometimes disproportionately applied to marginalized groups, such as ethnic minorities. For instance, a significant percentage of drug-related executions in Iran have been members of the Baluch minority, though they make up a small portion of the population.
But it is not that efforts are not made to address the rising execution. There are international conventions, laws and other efforts that discourage executions. Global efforts led to significant progress in reducing the death penalty. The adoption of international instruments against it including the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights — the convention that aims to abolish the death penalty and promotes legal and policy changes in signatory states — has brought some positive outcomes and helped lead to the abolition of the death penalty in many countries. More than 70 percent of the world’s countries have abolished capital punishment in law or practice. In 2024, Zimbabwe signed into law a bill to abolish the death penalty for ordinary crimes. There are also awareness-raising campaigns against executions and the death penalty.
Various transnational organizations including the United Nations and non-government organizations have been vocal against the executions. Organizations like Amnesty International, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty and the Advocates for Human Rights and Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation have been working and playing a vital role against executions, though advocating for policy changes and carrying out campaigns against executions. The United Nations and regional bodies like the European Union push for moratoriums and encourage countries to ratify abolition treaties. Hopefully saying, various global efforts have led to significant progress against executions and will probably reduce executions in the future too.
Despite progress in abolishing the death penalty and executions in many countries in Europe and several other regions, recent increases in the number of executions in certain countries especially in Asia and Africa have spurred renewed efforts to address it. Moreover, global death penalty abolitionist efforts often struggle to gain traction because many countries, even those in the democratic world, maintain the death penalty, cite its potential as a crime deterrent or a form of retribution and are unwilling to end it. Though a majority of the global increase in executions is concentrated in a few countries especially in the Middle East and North Africa region, several other countries have increased executions.
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But, importantly, there are various flaws in the local and international efforts, leading to the limited outcomes of the global anti-execution initiatives. International conventions related to the abolition of the death penalty are not signed by many countries and the laws are non-binding. Many countries have not ratified and are unwilling to ratify the Second Optional Protocol, fewer than 100 countries have so far ratified it. Consequently, there are enforcement limitations of the international convention in those countries which have not ratified it that undermine the goal of abolition and allow capital punishment to persist in a number of countries including repressive countries, leading to the scope of the rise in executions, often with a political motive.
There are limited efforts and gaps of anti-execution organizations, both global and national, a lack of political will — which is crucial for making and implementing anti-execution laws — and a lack of public support that put hindrances to anti-execution efforts in different countries. It is pertinent to say that a general lack of political will exists in different countries including a few states that continue to account for the majority of the global executions. There is also a failure to provide adequate legal representation for defendants in many nations. Among the others, the ineffective communication strategies of anti-executions organizations hinder the progress in the efforts to abolish the death penalty in many countries.
But a pertinent aspect is whether the execution can be reduced to zero globally. It is probably difficult to completely abolish executions in the world, even if many countries have done so and many others are increasingly considering the abolition of it. This is not only due to the above reasons but also its effectiveness on many grounds. It helps prevent future crimes by scaring others and prevents a convicted criminal from harming others again. Without it, serious crimes may increase in many countries. Completely abolishing the death penalty is challenging due to complex legal, ethical and social issues that require punishment. Capital punishment is sometimes a just punishment for heinous crimes and can contribute to a safer society.
More importantly, it is difficult to ensure that all countries will adopt a zero execution policy. This is pertinent for many countries in the Middle East and other regions. Unless a country adopts such a policy willingly, there is currently no international mechanism to compel the country to adopt such a policy and many powerful countries including the United States apply the execution laws against certain sorts of crimes. Consequently, capital punishment persists in many countries and will probably do so in the future too, despite persistent arguments about its unfair application, global activism against it and the high cost and the risk of executing innocent people.
Even if, the complete abolition of executions is less likely, their significant reduction is possible all over the world. But measures are vital to address the causes and challenges and reduce execution, which may not act as a deterrent always — even if they can do so sometimes. But the governments need to revise their execution laws and policies and find more alternative forms of punishment. Many crimes provide avoidable death penalty. The trial needs to be made fair so that those who do not deserve the death penalty do not get it merely for political motives or other reasons. Ending political repression will also help reduce executions.
But transnational anti-execution organizations need to do a lot. Increased collaboration with other human rights organizations, including local organizations, and legal experts and fostering partnerships with religious institutions, community leaders and grassroots activists can help mobilize public support against the execution in many countries and can help revise laws and reduce the execution at least to a tolerable level. Putting emphasis on more humane and just criminal justice systems will help address the death penalty for many crimes that can reduce the number of executions. But a political commitment is vital to take effective measures to reduce the number of executions.
But the root causes of the crimes including those crimes such as murders that lead to executions in many countries, also need to be addressed to reduce the commitment of serious crimes and the need for execution. Along with the promotion of the rule of law and improving political grounds, addressing the economic and other causes is vital. Reducing crime networks and providing economic opportunities can reduce poverty, improve financial conditions and reduce the number of murders and many other serious crimes in different countries to a larger extent.
