Trusted news agencies tracing tendencies of democratisation and autocratisation globally

Amnesty: Global executions surge to highest level in 44 years

Increasing executions in Iran, China and Saudi Arabia has resulted in 2025 having the highest recorded figure of executions since 1981. Amnesty calls this "staggering" and "an alarming spike".

May 18, 2026 at 09:19

Login for our subscription service

Welcome! Please log in here if you have signed a contract with one of the agencies involved in the DNA to access this product or if you would like to sign up for a free four-week trial