The world saw the highest number of recorded executions since 1990 and almost 90 percent occurred in Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, according to a new report from human rights group Amnesty International.

In what the organization called an "alarming surge," at least 1,634 people were executed last year; an increase of more than 50% from 2014. The actual number was probably significantly higher, given that there were no definitive numbers for China.

Despite the setbacks in 2015, the world continues moving towards abolition of the death penalty. Four countries completely abolished the death penalty from their laws in 2015 – Fiji, Madagascar, Republic of Congo and Suriname. Mongolia also passed a new criminal code abolishing the death penalty, which will take effect this year.  For the first time ever, a majority of the world’s countries – 102 – have now fully abolished the death penalty. In total, 140 states across the globe are abolitionist in law or practice.

Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) is contributing to the global trend towards abolition. Today in Uganda, PGA Members, Hon. Fox Odoi and Hon. Alice Alaso, introduced a bill to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee which abolishes Uganda’s mandatory death penalty and limits it to the most serious crimes. If the Committee agrees with the bill then it will be scheduled for a second and third reading. PGA Members hope to pass the bill by mid-May 2016.

“2015 was a year of extremes. We saw some very disquieting developments but also developments that give cause for hope. Four countries completely abolished the death penalty, meaning the majority of the world has now banned this most horrendous of punishments,” said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International's Secretary General, in a statement.

“Whatever the short-term setbacks, the long-term trend is still clear: the world is moving away from the death penalty. Those countries that still execute need to realize that they are on the wrong side of history and abolish the ultimate cruel and inhuman form of punishment.”

For other updates on Death Penalty Abolition and the PGA Parliamentary Platform for the Abolition of the Death Penalty, please visit https://www.pgaction.org/ilhr/adp/

The PGA Secretariat remains available for consultation and follow up actions on this issue. Please contact Holly Sarkissian at holly.sarkissian@pgaction.org  or +1 646-762-7313