According to Amnesty International, a total of 883 people were executed globally in 2022, the highest number in the last five years. The rights group also expressed concerns about using the death penalty for drug offences.
Increase in Judicial Executions
The group said that the concentration of around 90 per cent of global executions was in three countries in the Middle East and North Africa — Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General, said, “Most recently, in a desperate attempt to end the popular uprising, Iran executed people simply for exercising their right to protest.”
144+ people in addition to #MohiyedinEbrahimi have been executed so far in 2023. Lack of reactions by the international community is considered by the international community as a green light for #Khamenei to continue https://t.co/gVcTu2KKq6
— Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam (@iranhr) March 17, 2023
As per the report, the recorded executions in Iran jumped from 314 in 2021 to 576 in 2022. Over 144 people have been executed so far in 2023, according to Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, Director of Iran Human Rights.
Last December, Iran executed a 23-year-old protestor, Mohsen Shekari, making it the first state killing of a detained protestor.
Iran has also seen a spike in executions in case of drug-related offences. This spike is in line with the global trend where these offences make up for about 40 per cent of the total executions.
“Importantly, it’s often those from disadvantaged backgrounds that are disproportionately affected by this callous punishment,” Callamard said.
Executions at Five-Year High Globally; Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt Account for 90%: Report
The executions in Saudi Arabia, rose from 65 in 2021 to 196 in 2022 — the highest recorded by Amnesty in 30 years — while Egypt executed 24 individuals.
Global executions at highest rate for five years - Amnesty report https://t.co/Q4buiGkKIm
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 16, 2023
A Glimmer of Hope
“As many countries continue to consign the death penalty to the dustbin of history, it’s time for others to follow suit,” Callamard said.
Kazakhstan, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Zambia are the six countries that fully or partially abolished the death penalty last year.
Malaysia moved to abolish the mandatory death penalty.
Liberia and Ghana also took steps to abolish the death penalty. Sri Lanka and Maldives said they would not resort to implementing death sentences.
The Amnesty International secretary remarked, “It’s time for governments and the UN to up the pressure on those responsible for these blatant human rights violations and ensure international safeguards are put in place.”