The Islamic Republic carried out 74 percent of all documented executions worldwide in 2023, Amnesty International reported.
"In Iran, the authorities intensified their use of the death penalty to instil fear in the population and tighten their grip on power, carrying out executions across the country," Amnesty said in a report on Wednesday.
With 853 executions, Iran sits behind China as the world's leading executioner.
Iran’s 48 percent execution rate increase from the previous year made the country a primary driver behind the global rise in executions, which reached 1,153 in 2023 – the highest number since 2015.
“The huge spike in recorded executions was primarily down to Iran. The Iranian authorities showed complete disregard for human life and ramped up executions for drug-related offences, further highlighting the discriminatory impact of the death penalty on Iran’s most marginalized and impoverished communities,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
