The UN Human Rights Office raised alarm Jan. 19 over a "sharp hike" in the number of executions globally in 2025. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk articulated the office's key concerns, stating:

My Office monitored an alarming increase in the use of the capital punishment in 2025, especially for offences not meeting the "most serious crimes" threshold required under international law, the continued execution of people convicted of crimes committed as children, as well as persistent secrecy around executions.

This threshld is established by Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights. The increase primarily came from executions for drug-related offenses occurring in a small number of retentionist states. These are countries that continue to use capital punishment, as opposed to abolitionist states. which do not use or support the death penalty.

Türk stressed that the death penalty does not function as an effective crime prevention tool, and can kill innocent people. He further highlighted the serious implications for marginalized groups: "In practice, the death penalty is also often applied arbitrarily and discriminatorily, in violation of fundamental principles of equality before the law."

The report specifically addressed the conduct of several countries, including Iran. The UN estimated that at least 1,500 individuals were executed in Iran in 2025—at least 47% for drug offenses. Türk said this figure suggests a "systemic use of capital punishment as a tool of State intimidation." Iran Human Rights Monitor reported similar concerns in December, stating that "political death sentences" have especially targeted ethnic minorities, including Kurds and the Baloch.

Saudi Arabia also had a high figure, with at least 356 executions—78% drug-related offenses. At least two of those executed were killed for offenses committed as minors, which raises concerns over the rights of children under international law.

Joey Shea, Saudi Arabia researcher at Human Rights Watch, described a "record surge" in executions, and called for an international response. "Governments should immediately press Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s authorities to halt all executions," she said.

In Israel, recent proposals call for mandatory death penalties solely for Palestinians under certain circumstances. Türk commented on this question separately in early January, focusing on the discriminatory nature of these proposals and violations of international humanitarian law.

Forty-seven executions occurred in the US in 2025—the highest number in 16 years. Experts have continued to express concerns about "torture or cruel punishment" implications of the expanding use of gas asphyxiation, introduced by some states in 2024.

Türk also discussed Afghanistan, Somalia, Singapore, China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and Belarus.

The report did note some “encouraging steps” taken last year. For example, the Constitutional Court in Kyrgyzstan upheld a prohibition on the death penalty, ruling that an attempt to reintroduce it was unconstitutional. Temur Shakirow, director of the International Court of Justice Europe & Central Asia Programme, praised the measure, saying:

Justice systems in all countries are vulnerable to error or abuse, and the death penalty makes any such failure irreversible. Maintaining the abolition of capital punishment therefore remains essential to the effective protection of the right to life.

Türk called on all retentionist states to cease executions, downgrade all current death sentences, and begin to take steps towards abolition.

From JURIST, Jan. 19. Used with permission.