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Saudi Arabia's Execution Rate Soars to Unprecedented Heights Amid Global Inaction, Urgent Action Needed

As per a recent Foreign Policy report by Taha al-Hajji, a Saudi Arabian capital defense lawyer, the execution rate in Saudi Arabia has skyrocketed. The country has put to death at least 345 people in 2023, a shocking 76 percent surge from the previous record of 196 executions in 2022. The article, published on May 16, 2025, underscores how Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's regime has ramped up its execution campaign while facing minimal international criticism.

The unprecedented surge in executions includes record numbers of women, alleged drug offenders, and foreign nationals. Nine women were executed last year, alongside 122 people convicted of drug offenses and 138 foreign nationals. This dramatic increase comes despite the Crown Prince's previous claims of restricting capital punishment to only the most serious violent crimes.

Human rights advocates are particularly concerned about the execution of individuals for non-violent offenses. The Foreign Policy article details cases like those of Ahmed Zeinhom and Rami al-Najjar, who face execution for possessing just 8 grams of cannabis—an amount that would be legal in 24 U.S. states. Additionally, despite official statements claiming the abolition of the death penalty for childhood crimes, individuals like Abdullah al-Howaiti, who was only 14 when allegedly forced to confess to a murder, remain on death row.

The timing of this execution surge appears strategic. With global attention focused on conflicts in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, Saudi authorities have seemingly seized an opportunity to intensify executions without significant diplomatic consequences. The brief decline in executions during 2020 and 2021, attributed partly to COVID-19 lockdowns and an unofficial moratorium on drug-related executions, coincided with international scrutiny following journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Once it became clear there would be no meaningful consequences for the regime, executions rapidly increased.

Recent political developments suggest this trend may continue unchecked. Despite the traditional month-long pause during Ramadan, Saudi Arabia has already executed 112 people in 2025, including 68 for drug offenses and 12 for non-lethal "terrorism" offenses—a term often applied to those who protest against the regime.

International human rights organizations have expressed alarm at the deteriorating situation. One alarming account from the Foreign Policy article describes an Egyptian mother's call about her son being moved to an execution cell in Tabuk prison. Guards reportedly subject prisoners to psychological torture by announcing executions a day in advance without revealing who will be killed, leaving inmates in a state of panic and confusion.

The Saudi justice system's lack of transparency compounds these concerns. With no constitution, penal code, independent legislative body, or free press, it remains difficult to fully understand or challenge the legal processes leading to these executions. British citizen Ahmed al-Doush's recent 10-year sentence for allegedly posting a single tweet, later deleted, exemplifies the opaque nature of Saudi judicial proceedings.

As world leaders continue to engage with Saudi Arabia on economic and geopolitical matters without addressing these human rights violations, experts fear the execution rate will only continue to rise. The recent awarding of the 2034 FIFA World Cup to Saudi Arabia, despite these ongoing abuses, further signals international willingness to overlook the kingdom's human rights record in favor of economic opportunities and strategic partnerships.

Photo: Foreign Policy

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