Advocacy Organizations Condemn Unprecedented High in Death Sentences in the Kingdom

The nation has surpassed its previous yearly high for the carrying out of death sentences for a second consecutive year.

No fewer than 347 people have been executed so far this year, according to a UK-based rights monitor that tracks such sentences.

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

The latest people put to death included two individuals from Pakistan found guilty on drug-related offences.

Details on the Sentences

Further cases this year include a reporter and two individuals who were minors at the time of their alleged protest-related crimes.

Five of those were female prisoners. But, according to the monitoring group, the vast bulk—around two-thirds—were sentenced for non-lethal substance violations.

International bodies have declared that applying the ultimate sentence for such crimes is "incompatible with international norms and standards."

More than half of those subjected to capital punishment were individuals from other countries, implicated in what is described as a "war on drugs" within the kingdom.

"Saudi Arabia is operating with complete impunity now," said a representative of the monitoring group. "It's almost ridiculing the global justice mechanism."

The advocate further labeled coerced admissions and abuse as "endemic" within the Saudi legal framework, calling it a "harsh and indiscriminate campaign."

Personal Accounts

Among those executed recently was a young fisherman from Egypt, detained in 2021. He is said to have claimed he was coerced into smuggling drugs.

Loved ones of men on facing capital sentences for drug charges have spoken anonymously the "terror" they now live in.

"The sole period of the week that I rest 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 "taken kicking and screaming to their death."

Wider Backdrop

The de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, whose rise began in 2017, has presided over major shifts in policy, relaxing some limitations while simultaneously silencing criticism.

Even as the country has welcomed foreign engagement in a bid to diversify its economy, 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 little backlash."

Claims suggest families of the deceased are usually given no prior notice, not given the remains, and not told the location of graves.

Global Condemnation

A United Nations expert has called for an prompt suspension on executions in Saudi Arabia, advocating for eventual abolition.

The expert also stressed the need for "full compliance with international protections," including legal assistance and embassy contact for non-citizens.

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

"The death penalty against media workers is a chilling attack on press freedom," declared a international agency head.

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

The response continued that the ultimate sentence is imposed only for the "gravest offences" and after exhausting all judicial proceedings.