Amnesty: Iran Carried Out 2,159 Executions in 2025 — Highest Since 1981

Amnesty International released findings from its annual Death Penalty Report documenting 2,159 executions in Iran during 2025 — more than double the 2024 figure and the highest recorded number since 1981. Iran's toll was the primary driver behind global executions reaching a 44-year high of 2,707 total worldwide. Amnesty cited Iran's wartime political crackdown, mass prosecution of 2022 protest convicts, and drug-related executions as the key factors. The figures were reported by France 24, CBS News, and other major outlets on May 18, but based on Amnesty data announced May 17. The scale of executions drew condemnation from the UN Human Rights Office.