Saudi Arabia executed 345 individuals in 2024, marking the highest number in over three decades. Within the first half of 2025, another 180 executions were reported. A significant majority of these executions were for nonviolent drug-related offenses. Many of those executed were foreign nationals who reportedly lacked proper legal representation or access to fair trials. This sharp rise in executions contradicts earlier royal assurances that the death penalty would be limited to the most serious crimes, such as homicide.
Human rights observers argue that this surge undermines the kingdom’s global image and its Vision 2030 reform agenda, which emphasizes modernization and global engagement. The heavy use of capital punishment, particularly for drug offences, has drawn widespread international criticism. There are growing calls for Saudi Arabia to establish transparent legal processes and ensure fair trials, especially for vulnerable foreign workers caught in the justice system.
As the country continues to position itself as a major player on the world stage, the contrast between its reform narrative and its execution record is becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile.
Saudi Arabia executed 345 people in 2024, with another 180 deaths in early 2025. Most were convicted of drug crimes. The majority were foreign nationals without legal support, contradicting official pledges to limit capital punishment. This surge raises serious human rights concerns amid the country’s modernization drive.
death_penalty, saudi_arabia_executions, human_rights_abuses
