Executions surge 20 percent in 2021 led by China, Iran: Amnesty

Human rights group also notes continued secrecy in China, North Korea and Vietnam, and ‘alarming rise’ in use of death sentences in Myanmar.

The number of executions globally rose 20 percent in 2021, while the number of death sentences handed down increased by 40 percent, rights group Amnesty International has said.

Its annual report, Death Sentences and Executions, said at least 579 people were killed by states that retain capital punishment while at least 2,052 had a death sentence passed against them.

“The increase in executions was primarily driven by rises in the yearly figure for Iran (from at least 246 in 2020 to at least 314 in 2021, a 28% increase), which was the highest figure on record since 2017”, the report said. “The spike in Iran appeared particularly for executions of people convicted of drug-related offences (132), which represented 42% of the total and constituted a more than five-fold rise from 2020”.

The figures do not include China, where thousands are thought to be executed or sentenced to death each year in a...