The UN High Commissioner, Volker Türk, has voiced significant concerns regarding a global rise in executions, with Saudi Arabia being a leading nation in this trend. In 2023, executions increased by 31% compared to 2022, the highest rate in eight years. Türk condemned the death penalty for violating human rights and called for its suspension, citing its discriminatory nature and risks of judicial errors.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has raised alarm regarding the notable rise in executions globally, indicating that Saudi Arabia is among the leading countries in execution rates. There has been a striking 31% increase in executions in 2023 compared to the previous year, marking the peak rate in the last eight years.
During a special session at the Human Rights Council held on February 25, 2025, Commissioner Türk reiterated that the death penalty violates the fundamental right to life and human dignity. He noted that more than 40% of executions worldwide were linked to drug offenses, despite international guidelines limiting the death penalty to the most serious crimes, like premeditated murder.
Türk highlighted the progressive trend towards the abolition of the death penalty, with 113 nations having fully eliminated it. However, some countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, continue to perform executions at alarming rates, which adversely affects not only those condemned but also their families and the broader society.
Additionally, Türk emphasized the discriminatory nature of the death penalty, stating that it predominantly impacts ethnic and religious minorities as well as marginalized communities. He cautioned that the existence of the death penalty can be exploited to suppress civil liberties and to persecute activists and defenders of human rights.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights corroborated Türk’s observations, citing consistent UN reports tracing the rise in executions to Saudi Arabia’s actions. They indicated that the kingdom executed 65 individuals in early 2025, with 33 related to drug offenses, which do not classify as the most serious crimes under international law.
Türk urged nations still enforcing the death penalty to immediately halt its application and consider alternative, more humane approaches within their legal systems. He contended that the death penalty does not deliver true justice or effectively deter crime and poses the significant risk of executing innocent individuals due to irreversible judicial mistakes.
In summary, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed critical concerns over the global escalation of executions, particularly in Saudi Arabia. Despite a growing trend towards the abolition of the death penalty, its widespread practice remains problematic due to its discriminatory application and potential for grave miscarriages of justice. Urgent calls for the suspension of the death penalty emphasize the necessity for humane judicial alternatives.
Original Source: shiawaves.com
