Capital punishment remains a reality in numerous countries. Indeed, while many engage in discussions regarding the justification of capital punishment within a civilised society, Saudi Arabia has intensified its execution rates — as indicated by an Amnesty International report which reveals that the Kingdom has executed nearly 200 individuals this year alone.
This trend positions Saudi Arabia to potentially surpass its record set in 2024; last year, the Kingdom executed a historic 345 individuals, marking the highest number since public records began documenting such cases in the early 1990s.
What is driving this trend? Why is Saudi Arabia imposing capital punishment so frequently?
What is causing the increase in capital punishment in Saudi Arabia? Experts and analysts suggest that this surge in executions aligns with the Kingdom’s “war on drugs,” initiated in 2023. The country resumed executions for drug-related offenses at the end of 2022, after a three-year hiatus on the death penalty for narcotics cases.
In 2022, Riyadh executed 19 individuals, two in 2023, and 117 in 2024 for drug-related crimes. However, this year alone, Saudi Arabia has executed 144 individuals for drug offenses.
Since the commencement of its war on drugs, the nation has heightened police presence at checkpoints along highways and border crossings, resulting in the confiscation of millions of captagon pills and the arrest of numerous traffickers.
“It is evident that Saudi Arabia has chosen to intensify arrests… and impose severe penalties on those perceived to be involved in drug trafficking within the Kingdom,” stated Caroline Rose, a senior analyst at the New Lines Institute in Washington.
Who are the individuals facing execution? Data indicates that the majority of those sentenced to death for drug-related offenses are foreigners. The Amnesty International report disclosed that in June alone, 37 individuals were executed for drug offenses — averaging more than one execution per day related to drugs. Of these, 34 were foreign nationals from countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria.
Recognizing this trend, Jeed Basyouni from the London-based rights organization Reprieve informed AFP, “Foreign nationals are especially susceptible to violations of due process and fair trial rights in relation to the death penalty.”
Amnesty International also criticized this trend, with Kristine Beckerle, the organization’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, stating, “We are observing a truly alarming trend, where foreign nationals are being executed at an alarming rate for offenses that should not warrant the death penalty.”
However, it is not only foreigners who face execution. This year, 96 Saudi nationals have been executed out of a total of 217 individuals who have been put to death.
Is capital punishment effective in the fight against drugs?
It is difficult to determine.
Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef pledged at the beginning of the campaign that “drug dealers and smugglers will not survive it.”
Last month, Saudi public security director Mohammed al-Bassami remarked that the war on drugs “has yielded tangible positive outcomes, delivering significant blows to drug dealers and smugglers,” as reported by the prominent Okaz newspaper.
Nevertheless, there is scant data to support these assertions, and daily arrests persist. “There is no evidence to validate the use of the death penalty as a deterrent, especially concerning drug offenses,” stated Reprieve’s Basyouni.
Do the executions contradict reforms?
Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in tourist infrastructure and major sporting events, such as the 2034 World Cup, as it seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy. However, the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to capital punishment undermines the portrayal of a more open and tolerant society, which is crucial to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda.
Saudi officials assert that the death penalty is essential for preserving public order and is only implemented once all options for appeal have been fully pursued.
Saudi Arabia faced international outrage following the 2018 assassination and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi, a US-based Saudi journalist and government critic, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Following a brief disruption in US relations, President Donald Trump has fully supported Saudi Arabia, prioritizing business agreements over criticism of its leadership regarding human rights concerns. During his visit to the Gulf nations in May, Trump expressed admiration for the crown prince, stating: “I like you too much!”
