Rights Groups Decry Unprecedented High in Capital Punishment in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has broken its prior execution tally for the number of executions for a second consecutive year.

At least 347 individuals have been executed so far this year, according to a UK-based campaign group that monitors such cases.

This figure tops the total of 345 noted in 2024, representing what the group calls the "deadliest year of executions in the kingdom since monitoring began."

The latest people put to death were two Pakistani nationals sentenced on charges related to narcotics.

Breakdown of the Executions

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

Five were women. Yet, per the monitoring group, the majority—about two-thirds—were found guilty for non-violent substance violations.

The United Nations have stated that applying the capital punishment for such offences is "violates international human rights standards."

More than half of those subjected to capital punishment were foreign nationals, ensnared in what has been labeled a "crackdown on substances" within the kingdom.

"The kingdom is functioning with absolute immunity now," said a head of the rights organization. "It's almost making a mockery of the international rights framework."

The official further described torture and forced confessions as "widespread" within the Saudi judicial process, calling it a "severe and random suppression."

Individual Cases

Among those subjected to capital punishment was a young Egyptian fisherman, arrested in 2021. He allegedly claimed he was pressured into trafficking narcotics.

Family members of men on death row for drug charges have given accounts privately the "fear" they now live in.

"The only time of the week that I find peace is on the weekend because there are no executions on those days," a family member said.

Fellow inmates have allegedly observed individuals they lived alongside for years being "dragged in protest to their death."

Political Climate

The de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, whose rise began in 2017, has overseen significant societal reforms, loosening some limitations while at the same time cracking down on dissent.

Even as the country has opened up in a bid to broaden its financial base, its human rights record remains "poor" according to international observers.

"No price has been paid for going ahead with these executions," noted a researcher focusing on the region. "International gatherings continue with no repercussions."

Claims suggest families of the deceased are typically left in the dark, not given the remains, and not told the location of graves.

Calls for Action

A global human rights official has urged an instant halt on executions in Saudi Arabia, advocating for eventual an end to the practice.

The rapporteur also stressed the need for "complete obedience with international standards," including access to lawyers and consular access for foreign nationals.

Specific cases have drawn particular ire, including those of individuals who were juveniles at the time of their alleged crimes and a writer executed on claims of disloyalty.

"Capital punishment against media workers is a deeply concerning assault on press freedom," said a senior UN cultural official.

In a written response to raised allegations, Saudi authorities have maintained that the country "defends and maintains human rights" and that its laws "outlaw and sanction torture."

The communication further stated that the capital punishment is used exclusively for the "gravest offences" and after concluding all court appeals.