Death penalty escalation in 2022: 883 people killed

In 2022, there was a “rise”, according to Amnesty International, in the number of executions: 883, up 53 percent from the previous year and the highest number since 2017, when it was 993. It has not been recorded since 2009 because, as in the case of North Korea and Vietnam, “Government secrecy and restrictions continued to impede an accurate assessment of the use of the death penalty.” 90% of sentences carried out in 2022 can be traced back to just three countries: Egypt (which killed 24 people), Saudi Arabia and Iran.

In the Gulf kingdom, executions have tripled compared to 2021, going from 65 to 196, while the Saudis also have a sad record of being the only country to carry out sentences by beheading, killing 81 people in one day. . However, the negative record is largely held by Iran, where “in the second half of the year, in a desperate attempt to crush popular protests,” “only people who had exercised their right to protest” were executed, he said. Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnès Callamard noted. Whereas, executions in 2022 increased by 83% (from 314 to 576). The Islamic Republic also appears in all approaches to the application of the death penalty in violation of international law. Such is the case of public executions, carried out by people who are still minors, with mental disabilities (a violation also committed by the US), which took place following “criminal proceedings not in accordance with due process standards” and after confessions extracted under torture. Finally, for crimes that do not involve intentional killing: from “acts against the state” to drug crimes. “The number of people executed for drug offenses – highlights Amnesty – has doubled compared to 2021”: 37% of the total. In addition to Iran, Saudi Arabia and Singapore. Executions are also on the rise in the US, at 18: 64% more than in 2021 (11). It is running in five countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar and Singapore.

However, 2022 ended with some good news: two countries – Equatorial Guinea and Zambia – have both abolished the death penalty for common crimes. Four more – Kazakhstan, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic – said goodbye to the executioner.