Statistics confirm that a number of countries that continue to apply the death penalty have significantly increased their use of this extreme punishment.
The main reason for the global increase in executions has been the tightening of penalties for drug-related crimes. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk noted that such practices "not only contradict international law but are also ineffective as a means of combating crime."
In Iran, it is reported that over 1,500 people were executed in the past year, with more than 47 percent of them convicted of drug-related crimes.
In Saudi Arabia, at least 356 people were executed during the specified period, setting a new record since 2024. Moreover, 78 percent of the executions were related to drug offenses.
Volker Turk also pointed out that "at least two individuals convicted in Saudi Arabia were executed for crimes committed in childhood, raising serious questions about the respect for children's rights."
In the United States of America, 47 death sentences were carried out in 2025 — the highest number in the last 16 years. The introduction of execution by gas chamber, which began in 2024, raises concerns about potential torture and cruel treatment.
Public executions continued in Afghanistan, which is a violation of international human rights norms.
In Somalia, at least 24 people were executed, while in Singapore, 17 were executed. In China and North Korea, information about the use of the death penalty remains closed, making it difficult to gather accurate data. In Belarus, the list of crimes punishable by death has been expanded, including under national security legislation. In Israel, legislative initiatives are also being discussed that could lead to mandatory death sentences targeting Palestinians.
At the same time, it is worth noting that some countries have taken steps towards reducing the application of the death penalty. Vietnam has reduced the number of crimes punishable by death. Pakistan has removed two non-violent crimes from the list of capital offenses, leaving 29 such articles. Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty for lesser crimes on December 31, 2024, and Kenya has begun reviewing its death penalty legislation. Malaysia has also reduced the number of people sentenced to death by more than 1,000.
In Kyrgyzstan, the Constitutional Court upheld the ban on the death penalty, declaring the bill for its reinstatement unconstitutional.
Volker Turk emphasized that "the death penalty is not an effective method of combating crime and can lead to the execution of the innocent." He also noted that in practice, the death penalty is often applied arbitrarily and discriminatorily, violating fundamental principles of equality before the law.
He called on all countries where the death penalty still exists to immediately impose a moratorium and replace existing death sentences, aiming for the complete abolition of this punishment.
