Lawmakers in southern U.S. states accused of demonstrating “a chilling commitment” to state-sponsored murder alongside “a callous intent to invest resources in the taking of human life.”
By Jon Queally. Published 5-29-2024 by Common Dreams
![](http://occupyworldwrites.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DeathPenaltyPhoto_Arnie_horizontal_ArnieAlpert.jpg)
The number of executions worldwide hit a nearly 10-year high in 2023 thanks to a surge in state killings by Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, and the United States.
A new global report published by Amnesty International documents that the death penalty was imposed on 1,153 people last year, though the total is believed to be significantly higher due to the secrecy surrounding China’s penal system. The international human rights group believes “thousands” of people were executed by the Chinese government, but the exact figure is not known.
Continue reading