Skip to main content

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

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Sovereignty as Spectacle: Turkish Cypriot Researcher Critiques Grand Opening of the Northern Cyprus New "Republican Campus"

On Saturday, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is not recognized internationally, officially launched its new "Republican Campus." The first construction phase features the new Presidential Building and Parliament Building, inaugurated during a grand ceremony attended by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Dubbed by critics as a "show of sovereignty," the event, alongside the concurrent Teknofest technology festival, has drawn criticism from Turkish Cypriot researcher-writer Mete Hatay for its political undertones and symbolic messaging. Hatay, a noted peace researcher affiliated with the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), argues that the openings were not merely about inaugurating buildings but about constructing symbols of dominance under the guise of sovereignty. Hatay describes the events as meticulously staged platforms for political agendas. "Today in Northern Cyprus, it wasn't just buildings that were opened; symbols w...
Read more

Cyprus Archbishop's Easter Message Lost in Translation, Sparking Controversy

A mistranslation of Cyprus' Orthodox Archbishop Georgios' Easter message has ignited a new wave of tensions between Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities on the divided island. Turkish Cypriot media outlets reported that the Archbishop called for "expelling the Turks and saving the homeland," prompting swift condemnation from Turkish Cypriot political figures, including opposition leader Tufan Erhürman. According to Kıbrıs Postası 's bulletin published on April 20, 2025, Archbishop Georgios issued an Easter message urging "Greece, Southern Cyprus, and all Hellenism to make a coordinated effort to expel the Turks and save the homeland." The report further claimed the Archbishop stated there was "no possibility of making any more concessions" in the current situation. In response, Tufan Erhürman , leader of the social democrat Republican Turkish Party (CTP), issued a strongly-worded statement criticizing what he called "discriminatory and pr...
Read more

Is Turkey's New Rising Political Star's Future in Danger?

In a development that could dramatically alter Turkey's political landscape, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's presidential ambitions face a serious challenge as pro-government sources report his university diploma may soon be invalidated. According to prominent pro-government journalist Abdulkadir Selvi, Istanbul University is expected to complete a report today that could lead to the cancellation of Imamoglu's diploma, effectively disqualifying him from running for president of Turkey. Critical Findings in University Investigation The investigation centers around allegations that Imamoglu's lateral transfer from American University of Kyrenia to Istanbul University violated educational regulations. The Council of Higher Education (YÖK) has already issued a report claiming that American University of Kyrenia was not recognized by YÖK at the time Imamoglu made his transfer. "Istanbul University's investigation has been completed, and the...
Read more