In 2023, Saudi Arabia ranked third globally for the highest number of executions, following China and Iran, according to Amnesty International. This year, the kingdom executed over 100 foreign nationals, as reported by AFP. The most recent execution involved a Yemeni individual convicted of drug smuggling. In total, Saudi Arabia has executed 101 foreigners in 2024, which is three times the amount recorded in both 2023 and 2022, when 34 foreign nationals were executed each year.
“This represents the highest number of foreign executions in a single year. Saudi Arabia has never executed over 100 foreigners in one year,” remarked Taha al-Hajji, legal director of the European-Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR), in an interview with AFP. Human rights organizations have condemned Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty, labeling it as “excessive” and inconsistent with the kingdom’s attempts to improve its international image and attract tourists and investors.
In September 2023, Saudi Arabia executed the largest number of individuals in over 30 years, exceeding its previous records of 196 executions in 2022 and 192 in 1995. This year’s foreign executions included 21 individuals from Pakistan, 20 from Yemen, 14 from Syria, 10 from Nigeria, nine from Egypt, eight from Jordan, and seven from Ethiopia. There were also three each from Sudan, India, and Afghanistan, as well as one each from Sri Lanka, Eritrea, and the Philippines. The kingdom resumed executions for drug-related offenses in 2022 after a three-year moratorium, significantly contributing to the current year’s execution totals.
So far in 2024, there have been 92 executions linked to drug offenses, 69 of which involved foreign nationals. Diplomats and activists point out that foreign defendants often encounter significant barriers to fair trials, including limited access to court documents.
Hajji emphasized that foreigners are “the most vulnerable group,” often becoming “victims of major drug dealers” and facing numerous violations from the moment of their arrest until their execution.
