Thomas Waitz· Verts/ALE

Confirmed

More than 28,000 people are currently on death row worldwide

Omissions

• The figure of 28,085 is from the end of 2024, not a real-time 'current' count at the time of the speech in January 2026.
• The data excludes the thousands of people believed to be on death row in China, where death penalty data is classified as a state secret.
• 42% of the confirmed death row population (11,667 people) was in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sources

• PrimaryAmnesty International - Death Sentences and Executions 2024At the end of 2024, there were at least 28,085 people under sentence of death worldwide
• SecondaryDeath Penalty Information Center - Amnesty International Global Report 2024 analysisAt the end of 2024, there were at least 28,085 people under sentence of death worldwide, including 11,667 (42%) in the Asia-Pacific region