The spike in executions in 2023 has been alarmingly high with Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq accounting for 90% of the recorded cases. Iran saw executions increase to at least 972. In Saudi Arabia, executions doubled to 345, marking record levels, while Iraq implemented the death penalty 63 times—nearly four times their previous numbers. This trend promotes concerns over the use of the death penalty as a tool for suppressing dissent. Iran and Saudi Arabia especially have focused on punishing political opposition, correlated with broader human rights abuses in those nations.
The silencing of dissent has escalated the use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, despite Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's modernization agenda, driven by political motives.
Saudi authorities have weaponized the death penalty against Shi'a minority supporters of anti-government protests, resulting in a significant number of executions, particularly for terrorism-related offenses.
Amnesty International's annual report reveals that Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq accounted for 90% of recorded executions, with Iran leading despite a global trend toward abolition.
Amnesty classifies China as the world's leading executioner, with thousands executed as authorities refuse to disclose details, highlighting issues around transparency and human rights.
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