The Human Rights Group, Amnesty International, says that nearly eighteen thousand people were under death sentences across the world at the end of last year. It says, that China remains the world's most frequent executioner, followed by Iran, North Korea, Yemen, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Libya. Amnesty says that in many countries, death penalty is used disproportionately against the poor and minority communities. During the last decade, thirty one countries have abolished capital punishment either in law or in practice.