The Death Penalty
Every year, Amnesty International creates a report on the use of the death penalty around the globe for the previous year.
The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception – regardless of who is accused, the nature or circumstances of the crime, guilt or innocence or method of execution.
How many executions were there last year?
Amnesty International recorded 883 executions in 20 countries in 2022, marking a 53% increase from 579 recorded in 2021. This figure represents the highest number of executions that Amnesty International has recorded in the past five years (since 2017, when 993 executions were recorded).
China remained the world’s leading executioner, but the true extent of the use of the death penalty in this country remains unknown as this data remains classified as a state secret. The global figure recorded by Amnesty International excludes the thousands of executions believed to have been carried out in China, as well as those carried out in Viet Nam and North Korea where Amnesty International believes the death penalty was resorted to extensively.
Most known executions took place in China (1000s), Iran (at least 576) Saudi Arabia (196), Egypt (24), and the USA (18).
- In 2022, 93% of known global executions (excluding China) were carried out in the Middle East and North Africa.
- The 196 executions recorded in Saudi Arabia were the highest yearly total known for this country in 30 years.
- A total of 13 women were known to have been executed in the world: Iran (12) and Saudi Arabia (1).
- Amnesty International recorded executions in 20 countries, compared to 18 countries in 2021.
Drug related executions & more
325 executions were recorded for drug-related offences: 255 in Iran; 57 in Saudi Arabia; 11 in Singapore; and in China (+). In calculating the global total of executions carried out for drug-related offences, two were counted for China in accordance with Amnesty International’s research methodology.
In Iran, at least 5 people were executed for crimes that occurred when they were below 18 years of age.
Global death sentences
At least 2,016 new death sentences across 52 countries were imposed in 2022, compared to at least 2,052 in 56 countries in 2021.
Globally, at least 28,282 people were under sentence of death at the end of 2022.
Abolishing the death penalty - 2022 update
At the end of 2022, 112 countries have abolished the death penalty for all crimes,
In 2022 Kazakhstan, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, and the Central African Republic abolished the death penalty fully.
The Death Penalty in 2022 by Region
Asia-Pacific
In Asia-Pacific, eight countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Japan, Myanmar, North Korea, Singapore and Viet Nam) are known to have carried out executions in 2022, an increase from five in 2021.
The number of new death sentences recorded regionally increased by 5% from 819 in 2021 to 861 in 2022.
Military authorities carried out the first executions in Myanmar in four decades, including the execution of two high-profile opposition politicians.
Executions also resumed after a hiatus in Afghanistan and Singapore.
Papua New Guinea became the 21st country in the Asia-Pacific region to abolish the death penalty for all crimes.
United States
Executions carried out in the USA increased by 64%, rising from 11 in 2021 to 18 in 2022.
Outgoing Governor of Oregon Kate Brown commuted all remaining death sentences in the state.
Europe and Central Asia
Belarus carried out one execution in 2022. It was the only country in Europe and Central Asia to do so.
Kazakhstan abolished the death penalty for all crimes and ratified a key UN treaty on abolition.
Russia and Tajikistan continued to observe moratoriums on executions.
The Middle East and North Africa
The number of executions recorded in the Middle East and North Africa region increased by 59%, rising from 520 in 2021 to 825 in 2022.
94% of executions recorded in the region were carried out in Iran (70%) and Saudi Arabia (24%).
Sub-Saharan Africa
Recorded executions in the region decreased by 67%, from 33 in 2021 to 11 in 2022.
The only known executions were recorded in Somalia and South Sudan.
Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic abolished the death penalty for all crimes, while Equatorial Guinea and Zambia abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes only
Key Numbers and Stats for the Death penalty in 2022
- In 2022, a total of 883 recorded executions took place
- China remained the world’s leading executioner
- The countries with the most recorded exactions in 2022 were China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the USA.
- The 196 executions recorded in Saudi Arabia were the highest yearly total known for this country in 30 years.
- Recorded executions in Iran soared from 314 in 2021 to 576 in 2022.
- 28,282 people were under sentence of death at the end of 2022.
