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Amnesty: US Leads 50-Year Execution Surge, 47 in 2025

5/18/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Amnesty International warns a small group of states, including the United States, are driving a surge in executions—the highest in 50 years—with U.S. performing 47 executions in 2025, 19 in Florida.
Agnès Callamard said the spike shows the death penalty used to instill fear and crush dissent among communities.
The report notes no executions in Europe and Central Asia in 2025 and cites abolition bills in Nigeria and Lebanon as momentum.

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Story summary

Amnesty International warns a small group of states, including the United States, are driving a surge in executions—the highest in 50 years—with U.S. performing 47 executions in 2025, 19 in Florida.
Agnès Callamard said the spike shows the death penalty used to instill fear and crush dissent among communities.
The report notes no executions in Europe and Central Asia in 2025 and cites abolition bills in Nigeria and Lebanon as momentum.