Human Rights Organizations Denounce Unprecedented High in Executions in Saudi Arabia

The nation has exceeded its own annual record for the use of capital punishment for a second year running.

No fewer than 347 individuals have been executed so far this year, according to a British advocacy organization that tracks such cases.

This figure exceeds the final count of 345 documented in 2024, representing what the group calls the "deadliest year of executions in the kingdom since tracking was initiated."

The latest cases carried out were two individuals from Pakistan convicted on illegal substance violations.

Breakdown of the Executions

Additional individuals executed comprised a reporter and two individuals who were children at the time of their claimed offences linked to demonstrations.

A total of five were female. However, according to the monitoring group, the majority—approximately two-thirds—were convicted for not involving murder drug-related offences.

Global organizations have declared that applying the capital punishment for such crimes is "contrary to international norms and standards."

A majority of those executed were individuals from other countries, implicated in what appears to be a "crackdown on substances" within the kingdom.

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

The representative further characterized extracted statements through mistreatment as "systemic" within the Saudi criminal justice system, calling it a "severe and random suppression."

Individual Cases

Among those subjected to capital punishment was a young Egyptian fisherman, arrested in 2021. He reportedly claimed he was coerced into carrying illegal substances.

Loved ones 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 a halt in proceedings on those days," one relative stated.

Fellow inmates have reportedly seen individuals they lived alongside for years being "led resisting violently to their death."

Broader Context

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

While the country has welcomed foreign engagement in a bid to move away from oil dependency, its human rights record remains "abysmal" according to global watchdogs.

"There have been no consequences for carrying out these executions," said a expert focusing on the region. "International gatherings continue with little backlash."

Allegations suggest families of the deceased are typically left in the dark, denied the bodies, and left unaware of where they are interred.

Calls for Action

A global human rights official has urged an instant halt on executions in Saudi Arabia, with the aim of eventual abolition.

The official also stressed the need for "full compliance with international safeguards," including legal assistance and diplomatic support for detainees from abroad.

Particular executions have drawn special condemnation, including those of individuals who were minors at the time of their charged acts and a journalist executed on national security allegations.

"The death penalty against media workers is a chilling attack on freedom of expression," declared a leading UNESCO figure.

In a formal letter to international queries, Saudi authorities have asserted that the country "defends and maintains human rights" and that its laws "prohibit and punish torture."

The communication continued that the capital punishment is used exclusively for the "heinous violations" and after exhausting all legal processes.