America's Death Penalty Paradox: How Did The US Land On The List Of Top Executioners Alongside Iran And China?

The United States, a nation long held as the standard-bearer for human rights and democracy, underwent a concerning shift in 2022. The number of executions within its borders rose by 64%, from 11 in 2021 to 18 in 2022, according to an Amnesty International report. This alarming trend positions the U.S. uncomfortably close to countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and China — nations often excoriated for dismal human rights records.

U.S. Amid Global Execution Surge

Amnesty International paints a grim picture of global executions in 2022. The tally reached 883 across 20 countries, marking a significant 53% surge from 579 in 2021, the highest rise witnessed in five years. Amid this upward trend, the United States stands out in its region, disturbingly so. It has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the Americas to have carried out executions — a pattern that has persisted for 14 consecutive years.

Source: Amnesty International

Despite its 18 executions in 2022, the U.S.'s numbers are dwarfed by the staggering figures reported in China, Iran and Saudi Arabia. With China's exact figure shrouded in state secrecy, Iran takes the lead with no less than 576 executions, followed by Saudi Arabia with 196 — the highest yearly total for the latter in 30 years. These figures inevitably lead to a pressing question: Why does the United States, a stalwart defender of democracy, find itself on the same list as countries frequently criticized for their disregard for human rights?

The Method And The Crime

The global landscape of executions in 2022 was marked by chilling methods including beheading, hanging, lethal injection and shooting. In the U.S., lethal injection remains the method of choice. However, a crucial divergence lies in the crimes that led to these death sentences, which varied significantly from those in other executing countries.

A staggering 325 executions globally were carried out for drug-related offenses. This stands in violation of international law, which reserves executions for only the "most serious crimes," like intentional murder. The main offenders were Iran and Saudi Arabia, responsible for 255 and 57 executions, respectively. The USA, by contrast, primarily used the death penalty for murder, with drug-related offenses rarely leading to executions.

A Glimmer Of Hope: Abolition And Reform

Even in this bleak scenario, rays of hope shine through. Six countries abolished the death penalty in 2022, either fully or partially. Kazakhstan, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone and the Central African Republic eradicated it for all crimes, while Equatorial Guinea and Zambia abolished it for ordinary crimes. By the close of 2022, 112 countries had abolished it for all crimes, with an additional nine doing so for ordinary crimes only.

In the United States, despite the overall uptick in executions, some states made noteworthy strides toward reform. A shining example was Oregon's outgoing Governor Kate Brown, who commuted all remaining death sentences in the state, indicating a potential shift in attitudes toward the death penalty.

The Fight Continues

Still, the question lingers: Why does the United States persist in upholding a punishment increasingly viewed as inhumane and ineffective? The answer is layered, deeply intertwined with historical, political and cultural factors unique to the country.

Yet, as more states begin to question the death penalty's place in their justice systems and as international pressure mounts, it's apparent that the fight is far from over.

As Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International powerfully stated, "The brutal actions of countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia as well as China, North Korea, and Viet Nam are now firmly in the minority. These countries should urgently catch up with the times, protect human rights, and execute justice rather than people."

As the global abolition of the death penalty gains momentum, it will become increasingly inevitable for the United States to address this issue directly. The question is not a matter of if, but rather when.

The momentum to reform the death penalty system in the U.S. continues to build, reflecting a growing global trend toward abolition. An impressive number of countries are ceasing executions, leaving the U.S. at a crossroads as a global leader in democracy and human rights.

The Road To Abolition

Signs of change are already evident within the United States as seen by Oregon's  commutation of death sentences. This coupled with a noticeable decline in new death sentences nationwide hint at a future where the practice could be relegated to history.

Amnesty International recorded at least 28 exonerations globally in 2022 of prisoners sentenced to death, including two from the U.S. This chilling reality of potential wrongful death sentences underscores the urgency for reevaluating the use of the practice.

The Execution Paradox

However, despite these glimmers of hope, the increase in actual executions in the U.S. remains deeply concerning.

In 2022, at least 2,016 new death sentences were imposed across 52 countries worldwide, compared to at least 2,052 in 56 countries the previous year. The U.S. figured among the countries imposing new death sentences, even as its regional peers Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago refrained from carrying out executions.

The World Is Watching

The global community is closely observing the United States. As nations increasingly turn away from this form of punishment, the spotlight intensifies on the countries that continue to use it.

The U.S. is caught in a paradox. While certain areas of human rights have seen improvement, the increased number of executions poses a critical question: How can a country that prides itself as global advocate for human rights, reconcile its continued application of the death penalty? 

While the path towards the abolition of the death penalty may be lengthy and fraught with obstacles, the global trend towards eradicating this form of punishment is unequivocal. As a leading global influencer, the U.S. will have to confront this reality sooner rather than later.

Photo by Maria Oswalt on Unsplash