Iran’s Death Penalty Surge: A 2025 Human Rights Crisis

Amnesty International’s latest report reveals a stark escalation in Iran’s use of the death penalty, with over 2,100 executions recorded in 2025—more than double the number from 2024. This surge underscores a pattern of systematic repression, with the Iranian government increasingly employing capital punishment as a tool to suppress dissent and maintain control.

Iran’s Escalation of the Death Penalty

The 2025 figure marks the highest number of executions in Iran since the early 1980s, according to Raha Bahreini, a human rights lawyer and researcher with Amnesty International. “Iran has been the second executioner in the world for decades,” Bahreini explained. “However, even by the authorities’ own grim record, 2025 was a horrific year.”

At least half of the executed individuals were convicted for drug-related offenses, disproportionately impacting impoverished communities. The report also highlights an alarming rise in politically motivated executions, targeting protesters, dissidents, and those accused of espionage. These cases often involve grossly unfair trials before revolutionary courts, which rely on confessions obtained through torture.

“Since the armed conflict began in late February, there has been at least 32 politically motivated executions,” Bahreini said. “This includes young protesters arrested just weeks earlier, dissidents, and those accused of collaboration with foreign governments.”

Global Context of the Death Penalty

Iran’s execution rate far outpaced other countries with documented numbers. Globally, Amnesty International recorded at least 2,707 executions in 2025, a 78% increase from 2024. However, the organization acknowledges that the true figure is likely higher, as China’s secretive practices prevent verification. Iran accounted for 2,159 of the documented executions, followed by Saudi Arabia (356) and Yemen (51).

Despite this, the report notes a global trend toward abolition. Two-thirds of the world’s countries have either abolished the death penalty in law or practice. “The report shows this escalating use of the death penalty by a minority of states,” Bahreini said. “But it also highlights the success of global efforts to end this practice.”

Impact of Conflict and Repression

The humanitarian crisis in Iran has worsened amid ongoing conflicts. Amnesty International linked the surge in executions to the dual pressures of unlawful Israeli and U.S. Airstrikes and domestic repression. “People in Iran now face dual-atrocity risk,” Bahreini stated. “The attacks caused major civilian harm and intensified economic hardship, while the Iranian authorities used national security as a pretext for mass arrests and politically motivated death penalty cases.”

The report also criticizes the lack of transparency surrounding Iran’s judicial system. Revolutionary courts, which handle politically sensitive cases, operate without due process, with charges like “enmity against God” or “corruption on Earth” often serving as broad, vague justifications for capital punishment.

Call to Action and International Response

Amnesty International has urged the international community to hold Iran accountable for its human rights violations. The organization emphasizes the need for diplomatic pressure and sanctions against individuals involved in the execution of activists and dissidents. “The situation in Iran has become very dire,” Bahreini said. “People face potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.”

The report concludes with a call for global solidarity in opposing the death penalty. “While the use of capital punishment remains a grim reality in some countries, the momentum toward abolition is undeniable,” the organization stated. “It is imperative that the international community continues to advocate for justice and human rights in Iran and beyond.”

Read the full Amnesty International report