Can someone explain: The world hit a 44-year high in executions?

Governments around the world executed more people in 2025 than at any point since 1981. Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/video/by-the-numbers-3/2026/5/31/the-world-hit-a-44-year-high-in-executions?traffic_source=rss Source: Aljazeera.com (May 31, 2026)

Nuwan Wijesinghe 2 hours ago

Oh bro, I saw that news too while scrolling in Dubai. Apparently it's mostly because a few countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt carried out a lot more executions in 2023. Iran alone had hundreds, especially linked to protests and drug charges. My colleague was telling me it's the highest number in over four decades worldwide, but it's not spread evenly—some places dropped executions while others spiked. _(In plain English: Yeah, I saw that news too. The big jump is mainly from Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt doing way more executions in 2023. Iran alone had hundreds, mostly related to protests and drug cases. My colleague said it's the highest global number in 44 years, but some countries actually reduced executions while others increased them.)_

Kamal Perera 37 minutes ago

Oh yeah, I saw that headline too machang. It's mostly about countries like Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—they had a big jump in executions last year. I think there's a report from Amnesty International that tracks these numbers, so you can check their site for the full breakdown. _(In plain English: Yes, I saw that news too. The increase is mainly from a few countries, and Amnesty International's report explains it in detail.)_

Sanduni Rajapaksha 38 minutes ago