Human Rights Organizations Decry New Record in Capital Punishment in the Kingdom
The Kingdom has broken its prior execution tally for the use of capital punishment for a second year running.
No fewer than 347 individuals have been put to death so far this year, per data from a British rights monitor that tracks such sentences.
This figure tops the final count of 345 documented in 2024, representing what the group calls the "bloodiest year of executions in the kingdom since monitoring began."
The most recent individuals to be executed were two individuals from Pakistan sentenced on illegal substance violations.
Details on the Sentences
Additional individuals executed involved a media professional and two youths who were underage at the time of their alleged offences linked to demonstrations.
A total of five were women. But, as stated by the monitoring group, the largest portion—around two-thirds—were convicted for non-lethal substance violations.
The United Nations have said that applying the death penalty for such violations is "violates international law and principles."
Over 50% of those executed were non-Saudi citizens, ensnared in what has been labeled a "crackdown on substances" within the kingdom.
"The kingdom is functioning with absolute immunity now," said a official of the rights organization. "It's almost ridiculing the international rights framework."
The official further characterized extracted statements through mistreatment as "systemic" within the Saudi legal framework, calling it a "brutal and arbitrary crackdown."
Personal Accounts
Among those executed recently was a young fisherman from Egypt, taken into custody in 2021. He is said to have claimed he was pressured into trafficking narcotics.
Family members of men on facing capital sentences for drug charges have described the "terror" they now live in.
"The single occasion of the week that I rest is on the weekend because there are no executions on those days," one relative stated.
Fellow inmates have reportedly witnessed individuals they lived alongside for years being "dragged kicking and screaming to their death."
Political Climate
The de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, whose rise began in 2017, has presided over major shifts in policy, loosening some rules while concurrently suppressing opposition.
Even as the country has opened up in a bid to broaden its financial base, its human rights record remains "abysmal" according to global watchdogs.
"No price has been paid for proceeding with these executions," noted a expert focusing on the region. "Major events continue with minimal fallout."
Reports suggest families of the deceased are typically given no prior notice, not given the remains, and not told the location of graves.
Global Condemnation
A UN special rapporteur has demanded an immediate moratorium on executions in Saudi Arabia, advocating for eventual elimination.
The official also stressed the need for "strict adherence with international protections," including legal assistance and diplomatic support for foreign nationals.
Specific cases have drawn special condemnation, including those of individuals who were under the age of majority at the time of their alleged crimes and a journalist executed on national security allegations.
"Executions against journalists is a deeply concerning assault on freedom of expression," declared a international agency head.
In a official communication to UN concerns, Saudi authorities have asserted that the country "defends and maintains human rights" and that its laws "prohibit and punish torture."
The letter further stated that the capital punishment is used exclusively for the "heinous violations" and after completing all judicial proceedings.
