The number of executed death sentences in the world in 2025 has significantly increased, according to the report of the international human rights organisation Amnesty International published on 18 May. In 2025, according to human rights defenders, 2,707 people were executed by court verdict in the world, although in 2024 there were 1,518, that is, the number of executions has increased by almost 80%. The statistics do not include executions carried out in China and North Korea.
More executions than last year were last carried out only in 1981, the report said. A total of 48 countries carried out executions.
The number of executions rose sharply in Iran. The rate in that country is more than double what it was in 2024, according to human rights activists. In particular, participants in mass anti-government protests are executed in Iran.
In addition to Iran, the African states of Congo and Sudan have seen a sharp increase in executions. In Saudi Arabia, the number of executions increased to 356, in the United States – from 25 to 47.
In Ukraine, the death penalty has been completely abolished and is prohibited by law. The highest penalty in the country is life imprisonment. On 22 February 2000, the Verkhovna Rada finally removed the concept of the death penalty from the Criminal Code and ratified the relevant protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights.