Human Rights Organizations Condemn New Record in Death Sentences in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has surpassed its previous yearly high for the number of executions for a second year running.
At least 347 persons have been subjected to capital punishment so far this year, according to a UK-based advocacy organization that tracks such sentences.
This figure tops the total of 345 noted in 2024, marking what the group calls the "deadliest year of executions in the kingdom since records started."
The latest people put to death included two individuals from Pakistan found guilty on charges related to narcotics.
Details on the Sentences
Further cases this year comprised a reporter and two youths who were children at the time of their reported acts connected to dissent.
Five were female. However, as stated by the monitoring group, the majority—around two-thirds—were sentenced for not involving murder narcotics charges.
The United Nations have said that applying the death penalty for such offences is "contrary to international norms and standards."
A majority of those put to death were non-Saudi citizens, implicated in what is described as a "crackdown on substances" within the kingdom.
"The authorities are acting with absolute immunity now," stated a official of the campaign. "It's almost flouting the global justice mechanism."
The official further described torture and forced confessions as "widespread" within the Saudi judicial process, calling it a "severe and random suppression."
Individual Cases
Among those subjected to capital punishment was a young Egyptian fisherman, arrested in 2021. He is said to have claimed he was coerced into smuggling drugs.
Family members of men on awaiting execution for drug charges have given accounts privately the "dread" they now live in.
"The single occasion of the week that I find peace is on those two days because there are no executions on those days," a family member said.
Other prisoners have allegedly witnessed individuals they lived alongside for years being "taken resisting violently to their death."
Political Climate
The effective leader of Saudi Arabia, who assumed power in 2017, has presided over major shifts in policy, loosening some limitations while concurrently cracking down on dissent.
While the country has opened up in a bid to broaden its financial base, its human rights record remains "poor" according to global watchdogs.
"There have been no consequences for carrying out these executions," noted a analyst focusing on the region. "International gatherings continue with minimal fallout."
Reports suggest families of the condemned are typically not informed in advance, denied the bodies, and not informed about the location of graves.
International Response
A global human rights official has called for an immediate moratorium on executions in Saudi Arabia, pushing for eventual abolition.
The official also stressed the need for "full compliance with international standards," including representation and embassy contact for detainees from abroad.
Notable instances have drawn particular ire, including those of individuals who were minors at the time of their reported offences and a writer executed on claims of disloyalty.
"The death penalty against members of the press is a chilling attack on freedom of expression," said a international agency head.
In a written response to UN concerns, Saudi authorities have asserted that the country "safeguards human rights" and that its laws "ban and penalize torture."
The communication continued that the ultimate sentence is imposed only for the "heinous violations" and after exhausting all judicial proceedings.
