Amnesty International Reports Surge in Global Executions, Including U.S. Increase
Amnesty International has released a report indicating a significant rise in global executions, reaching a 44-year high in 2025. The report highlights that 2,707 people were executed across 17 countries, marking a 78% increase from the previous year. Iran led the count with 2,159 executions, attributed to the country's use of the death penalty as a tool of state repression. Saudi Arabia executed at least 356 people, primarily for drug offenses. In the United States, executions nearly doubled, with 47 carried out across 11 states, up from 25 in 2024. Florida accounted for 19 of these executions, influenced by Governor Ron DeSantis's policies that lowered the legal threshold for imposing the death penalty. Despite the increase, public support for capital punishment in the U.S. has fallen to a five-decade low, with only 52% of Americans in favor, according to Gallup.