Global executions hit 44‑year high

The number of people executed worldwide rose last year to the highest level since 1981, marking a 44‑year peak. Political scientist Staffan I. Lindberg of the University of Gothenburg attributes the surge to a global wave of de‑democratization and says there is no indication the trend will reverse.

The increase reflects broader concerns about authoritarian shifts in multiple regions, raising alarms among human‑rights observers.