April 8 (V7N) – The year 2024 witnessed the highest number of executions globally in the past decade, according to a damning report released by Amnesty International. The human rights watchdog revealed that 90 percent of these executions took place in just three countries: Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.

The report, cited by Deutsche Welle, ranks Iran as the world's leading executioner last year, carrying out 972 executions — a sharp rise from 853 in 2023. Amnesty notes that most of these were carried out under charges related to drug offenses, murder, and national security, often through trials that lacked transparency.

Saudi Arabia also saw a staggering increase, executing 345 individuals — nearly double the number from the previous year. The report highlights that a significant number of those executed were foreign nationals, many of whom were convicted under controversial anti-drug and anti-terrorism laws.

Meanwhile, Iraq recorded 63 executions in 2024, continuing a trend of capital punishment in the aftermath of the country’s counterterrorism operations.

However, Amnesty emphasized that the true global leader in executions remains China. While exact figures remain unknown due to state secrecy, the report estimates that more than 1,000 people were executed there last year. Human rights experts have long criticized China for its lack of transparency and use of the death penalty for a wide range of offenses.

The report also raises concerns over increasing executions in North Korea and Vietnam, though exact data remains difficult to obtain due to restricted access and government censorship.

Amnesty International has called on all countries still using the death penalty to impose immediate moratoriums, stressing that capital punishment is inherently cruel, inhumane, and irreversible — and often weaponized against political dissidents and marginalized communities.

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