Global Executions Reach Highest Level in 44 Years, Amnesty International Reports

Executions worldwide reached their highest level in 44 years in 2024, with 2,707 people put to death across 17 countries, according to Amnesty International. The human rights organization documented the sharp increase in state-sanctioned executions, marking a concerning trend in capital punishment globally. The data represents a significant escalation in the use of the death penalty, with executions carried out in less than a fifth of the world's countries but at levels not seen since the early 1980s.