The “Stop the Death Penalty in Egypt” campaign launches its report, “The Road to the Gallows 4,” supported by a detailed database on the death penalty in Egypt, including sources collected and verified by the campaign team throughout 2025. The report comes at a time of increasing global calls for the abolition of the death penalty and its replacement with more just and humane punishments, amid the growing expansion in the issuance of death sentences in Egypt and the continued use of the death penalty as the ultimate criminal sanction at the top of the punitive hierarchy, in the absence of even the minimum guarantees of fair trial standards.

The report reveals patterns in the use of the death penalty, shortcomings within the judicial system, and the impact of this punishment on human rights. The current report documents 541 death penalty rulings issued during 2025 by various criminal courts across different judicial levels, classified according to their current legal status, while also highlighting the challenges related to transparency of information in death penalty cases.

The legal distribution of the rulings included 177 death sentences (first instance), which are rulings issued by criminal courts after receiving the opinion of the Grand Mufti; and 221 referrals to the Mufti (first instance), which are preliminary decisions prior to issuing the final judgment. Meanwhile, 25 death sentences became final after the defendants exhausted all appeals before the Court of Cassation. Regarding criminal appellate courts, appellate circuits issued 78 death sentences (second instance), which are rulings issued by appellate courts following the establishment of appellate litigation as of January 2024 under Law No. 1 of 2024, while 20 referrals to the Mufti (second instance) were issued as decisions by appellate courts prior to the final judgment. Finally, 20 executions were carried out by the prison administration, including 19 men and one woman who was executed alongside two of her brothers.

The report “The Road to the Gallows 4” also seeks to analyze and monitor the causes behind the crimes that resulted in death penalty rulings, stemming from the organization’s conviction that reducing the use of the death penalty must coincide with a methodological restructuring of criminal justice and a change in perceptions of the death penalty as a deterrence mechanism.

The campaign condemns the alarming escalation in the rate of issuing death sentences in general, especially the implementation of executions, as the Egyptian authorities executed 20 individuals during 2025 in various criminal cases. The campaign renews its urgent call on the executive and legislative authorities to reconsider the application of the death penalty, demanding a suspension of its implementation and its replacement with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in cases that do not rise to the level of the “most serious crimes,” in line with Article 6(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

It is noteworthy that the previous year, 2025, witnessed a significant increase compared to preceding years, both in the number of death sentences issued by all judicial bodies and in the number of citizens against whom the penalty was carried out. During 2025, 541 cases faced death penalty rulings, compared to 509 citizens who faced the death penalty in 2024. In 2023, the penalty was imposed on 454 individuals. Regarding executions, the period covered by the report witnessed the execution of 20 citizens, while 13 individuals were executed in 2024, and 8 individuals were executed in 2023. This steady increase in the overall trends of using the death penalty as a criminal deterrent reflects the continuation of a harsh punitive approach without review or accountability, within a judicial system that lacks standards of transparency and justice.

This current descriptive statistical report continues the methodology of the previous three reports in “The Road to the Gallows” series, making this the fourth edition of this descriptive statistical series. The report frames the challenges facing the criminal justice file amid the existence of death sentences that proceed rapidly through judicial stages and are, at times, swiftly implemented. In particular, this report makes an effort to establish the tools and concepts related to observational research and points to the greatest challenge facing researchers and decision-makers seeking a better justice system—namely, the lack of available information.

The campaign calls for halting the expansion of the use of the death penalty as a punitive deterrent and for undertaking comprehensive reforms within the legislative and judicial systems to guarantee defendants’ rights and ensure fair and transparent trials that uphold the rule of law. It is worth noting that limiting the use of the death penalty, especially in non-lethal crimes, is consistent with international standards that restrict this punishment to the “most serious crimes.” Authorities and relevant institutions must also address the social and economic causes of crime by adopting social reform policies and improving living conditions rather than relying on extreme punishments such as execution.

The continued application of the death penalty within a judicial system lacking justice and transparency constitutes a real threat to the right to life. We call on you today to stand with us against this inhumane punishment, to demand an immediate halt to executions, and to ensure fair trials for all.

The campaign expresses its deep concern over this notable increase both in the number of death sentences issued by various courts and in the number of citizens against whom the penalty has been carried out, particularly in light of documented violations of the right to a fair trial in some cases, including depriving certain defendants of fundamental legal guarantees such as the right to adequate defense and transparent trials. The campaign affirms that the continuation of these practices contradicts Egypt’s international obligations under the treaties and conventions it has signed.

The “Stop the Death Penalty in Egypt” campaign reiterates its demands for the immediate suspension of executions in line with international trends toward abolishing this punishment; replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment in cases not classified among the “most serious crimes”; and ensuring fair trials that comply with international standards, including the right to legal representation and public hearings.

The “Stop the Death Penalty in Egypt” campaign reaffirms its commitment to defending the right to life and calls on the Egyptian authorities to take urgent steps to halt this escalation and reform the punitive system in line with human rights principles and international obligations. The campaign also urges the international community and human rights organizations to support these demands and exert pressure to protect fundamental rights in Egypt.