Amnesty International’s annual report has brought to light the shocking increase in the number of executions recorded worldwide in 2022. According to the report, there was a 53% increase, compared to the previous year, with at least 883 people executed in 20 countries. The total number does not include the unknown thousands put to death in China, as their figures remain secretive.
Out of the countries included in the report, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt topped the list, responsible for 90% of known executions. Iran saw 576 people put to death in 2022, a stark increase from 314 the previous year, mostly for drug-related offenses. Saudi Arabia tripled its executions, from 65 in 2021 to 196 in 2022, while Egypt carried out 24. The United States executed 18 people, while Singapore resumed executions for drug offenses after a two-year hiatus triggered by Covid-19, putting 11 people to death.
Amnesty International’s report also noted the high number of new death sentences in Indonesia, which is concerning in light of the country’s trajectory towards the reintroduction of the death penalty for drug offenses.
Despite the alarming findings of the report, there was a faint glimmer of hope, as more countries joined the growing list of those abolishing the death penalty. Kazakhstan, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, and the Central African Republic abolished the death penalty across the board, while Equatorial Guinea and Zambia abolished it for ordinary crimes. As of December 2022, 112 countries had abolished the death penalty for all crimes, and nine countries had abolished it for ordinary crimes only.
Human rights activists and groups have criticized the report’s findings and continue to advocate for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide. The report indicates that the rise in numbers of executions is concerning and calls on governments to take immediate action to put an end to what has become an alarming trend.
The Amnesty International report underscores the need for continued awareness and action to prevent the loss of life through state-sanctioned killing. There is no doubt that the rise in executions is stark, and efforts must be made to abolish the death penalty worldwide to ensure that human life is respected and safeguarded.
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