Death Penalty: Cases Declining Worldwide, Iran Remains Leading Executor
Amnesty International’s review of 18 countries shows that the number of executions last year was 26 percent lower than in 2019. However, Iran remains at the forefront of this inhumane punishment and is among four countries where 88 percent of executions have taken place.
Amnesty International states that the number of executions in 2020 compared to the previous year decreased by 26 percent, totaling 483 convicts. This figure is based solely on cases that have been officially announced and recorded.
This reduction in execution cases is unprecedented since 2007. In that same year, Amnesty International began documenting death sentences in countries.
In 2020, according to the organization’s data, four countries accounted for 88 percent of executions: Iran with 246 cases, Egypt with 107 cases, Iraq with 45 cases, and Saudi Arabia with 27 cases. All these figures are presented with the caveat of “at least.”
18 countries were reviewed by Amnesty International, among which India, Qatar, Oman, and Taiwan also stand out. Execution cases in Egypt have surged.
The human rights organization states that despite the coronavirus pandemic, the number of convicted persons executed in Egypt in 2020 was triple that of 2019. Markus Beeko, Secretary General of Amnesty International Germany, says: “The death penalty during the global coronavirus crisis confirms the futility of execution.”
China was not included in Amnesty International’s review because this crime against humanity is carried out in a completely secretive manner in China and documentation is impossible. Nevertheless, Amnesty International estimates that thousands of people are executed annually in China.
Source: DW
