Amnesty International said on Monday (May 18, 2026) that Iran executed more than 2,150 people in 2025, a “staggering” rise that helped push confirmed global executions to their highest level since 1981. The UK-based rights group reported it had verified at least 2,707 executions worldwide last year, with 2,159 of those carried out in Iran — more than double the number recorded in 2024.
Amnesty warned the global total is likely an undercount because it “does not include the thousands of executions” it believes took place in China, the world’s most prolific user of the death penalty, owing to what the group described as “the state secrecy” surrounding official data. The omission means international figures rely on partial information from countries with greater transparency.
The surge in confirmed executions highlights a sharp increase in reported use of capital punishment in Iran and underscores the limits of global monitoring where governments withhold records. Amnesty’s figures and language signal concern about both the scale of executions and the lack of reliable data from major users of the death penalty.
This report was published by Amnesty International and circulated by AFP.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/iran-israel-war-live-may-18-2026/article70992340.ece
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Publish Date: 2026-05-19 05:04:00
