Human Rights Organizations Condemn Historic Peak in Executions in the Kingdom

The Kingdom has surpassed its own annual record for the number of executions for a second year running.

At least 347 individuals have been executed so far this year, according to a UK-based advocacy organization that monitors such sentences.

This figure is higher than the total of 345 documented in 2024, representing what the group calls the "most lethal year of executions in the kingdom since tracking was initiated."

The newest individuals to be executed were two individuals from Pakistan sentenced on charges related to narcotics.

Details on the Sentences

Additional individuals executed comprised a reporter and two individuals who were children at the time of their reported acts connected to dissent.

Five were female prisoners. Yet, according to the monitoring group, the majority—approximately two-thirds—were sentenced for non-lethal drug-related offences.

The United Nations have said that applying the ultimate sentence for such crimes is "violates international norms and standards."

More than half of those executed were non-Saudi citizens, caught up in what has been labeled a "war on drugs" within the kingdom.

"The authorities are acting with complete impunity now," stated a representative of the monitoring group. "It's almost making a mockery of the global justice mechanism."

The official further characterized coerced admissions and abuse as "endemic" within the Saudi criminal justice system, calling it a "harsh and indiscriminate campaign."

Human Stories

Among those executed recently was a young national of Egypt, detained in 2021. He allegedly claimed he was pressured into smuggling drugs.

Family members of men on facing capital sentences for drug charges have spoken anonymously the "fear" they now live in.

"The sole period of the week that I rest is on Friday and Saturday because there are no executions on those days," an individual recounted.

Other prisoners have allegedly witnessed individuals they lived alongside for years being "led resisting violently to their death."

Broader Context

The de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, who assumed power in 2017, has presided over significant societal reforms, easing some restrictions while concurrently silencing criticism.

Even as the country has opened up in a bid to move away from oil dependency, its human rights record remains "deeply concerning" according to rights groups.

"No price has been paid for proceeding with these executions," noted a expert focusing on the region. "High-profile activities continue with no repercussions."

Claims suggest families of the deceased are typically not informed in advance, refused custody, and not told where they are interred.

Calls for Action

A UN special rapporteur has called for an prompt suspension on executions in Saudi Arabia, with the aim of eventual an end to the practice.

The official also stressed the need for "full compliance with international protections," including representation and consular access for detainees from abroad.

Notable instances have drawn special condemnation, including those of individuals who were minors at the time of their reported offences and a reporter executed on claims of disloyalty.

"The death penalty against media workers is a deeply concerning assault on freedom of expression," stated a leading UNESCO figure.

In a official communication to UN concerns, Saudi authorities have stated that the country "safeguards human rights" and that its laws "prohibit and punish torture."

The response added that the capital punishment is used exclusively for the "most serious crimes" and after exhausting all court appeals.