On the occasion of the 23rd World Day Against the Death Penalty on 10 October 2025, Amnesty International joins the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty and other abolitionist activists and organizations in denouncing the continued use of the death penalty and encouraging actions in support of its full abolition.
Trends recorded so far in 2025 indicate that executions have significantly increased in some countries, when compared to figures registered in recent years. Among these rises, some governments have shown renewed determination to use this cruel punishment as a tool of repression and control. This has frequently happened in the context of flawed narratives intended to create a false impression of security through a display of heavy-handed responses from the state, and to score political points. These narratives have also fostered a flagrant disregard for safeguards and restrictions under international human rights law and standards that have been established to protect people facing execution from being arbitrarily deprived of their lives.
Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception. As progress towards abolition has also been recorded in some countries this year, Amnesty International renews its call on all states that still retain this punishment to immediately establish a moratorium on executions and take prompt steps towards its full abolition.
Read the full public statement.
