Saudi Arabia’s Execution Crisis: A Record 101 Foreigners Put to Death in 2024
Saudi Arabia has faced persistent criticism over its use of the death penalty, which human rights groups have condemned as excessive.
Record-Breaking Executions
Saudi Arabia has executed more than 100 foreigners this year, according to an AFP tally indicating a sharp increase which one rights group said was unprecedented. The latest execution, on Saturday in the southwestern region of Najran, was of a Yemeni national convicted of smuggling drugs into the Gulf kingdom, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. That brought to 101 the number of foreigners executed so far in 2024, according to the tally which is compiled from state media reports.
This is almost triple the figures for 2023 and 2022, when Saudi authorities had put to death 34 foreigners each year, according to AFP tallies. The Berlin-based European-Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR) said this year’s executions had already broken a record. "This is the largest number of executions of foreigners in one year. Saudi Arabia has never executed 100 foreigners in a year," said Taha al-Hajji, the group’s legal director.
Foreigners at Risk
Foreigners executed this year have included 21 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, and one each from Sri Lanka, Eritrea and the Philippines. Saudi Arabia in 2022 ended a three-year moratorium on the execution of drug offenders, and executions for drug-related crimes have boosted this year’s numbers. There have been 92 such executions so far this year, 69 of them of foreigners, according to the AFP tally.
Diplomats and activists say that foreign defendants usually face a higher barrier to fair trials, including the right to access court documents. Foreigners "are the most vulnerable group", said Hajji of the ESOHR. Not only are they often "victims of major drug dealers" but also "subjected to a series of violations from the moment of their arrest until their execution," he said.
Beheadings and Unfair Trials
Saudi Arabia is notorious for beheading those convicted of capital crimes, although official statements tend not to mention the method of execution. The high number of executions undercuts statements by Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who told The Atlantic in 2022 that the kingdom had eliminated the death penalty with the exception of murder cases or when an individual posed a threat to many lives.
Conclusion
The record-breaking number of executions in Saudi Arabia is a stark reminder of the country’s flawed justice system and its disregard for human rights. The execution crisis has sparked widespread condemnation from human rights groups and activists, who are calling for an immediate end to the death penalty. The Saudi government must take immediate action to address these concerns and ensure that all individuals, regardless of their nationality, receive a fair trial and are treated with dignity and respect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the total number of foreigners executed in Saudi Arabia in 2024?
A: According to the AFP tally, 101 foreigners have been executed in Saudi Arabia in 2024.
Q: What is the reason for the increase in executions in Saudi Arabia?
A: The increase in executions is attributed to the end of a three-year moratorium on the execution of drug offenders in 2022.
Q: What is the method of execution used in Saudi Arabia?
A: Saudi Arabia is notorious for beheading those convicted of capital crimes, although official statements tend not to mention the method of execution.
Q: What is the reaction of human rights groups to the execution crisis in Saudi Arabia?
A: Human rights groups have condemned the execution crisis in Saudi Arabia, calling for an immediate end to the death penalty and an overhaul of the country’s flawed justice system.