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Saudi Arabia has executed at least 101 foreign nationals in 2024, a figure that triples the annual totals of 34 recorded in both 2023 and 2022, according to an AFP report. The kingdom’s escalating use of the death penalty has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations.
The latest execution involved a Yemeni national convicted of drug smuggling. Other foreign nationals executed this year include 21 Pakistanis, 20 Yemenis, and 14 Syrians, as well as individuals from Sudan, India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Eritrea, and the Philippines.
In September, Saudi Arabia surpassed its previous annual execution record, reaching the highest number of executions in over three decades. By mid-November, the total number of executions in 2024 stood at 274, with drug-related offenses accounting for 92 of these, including 69 foreign nationals.
Concerns Over Fairness and Disproportionate Impact
Human rights advocates have raised concerns about systemic disadvantages faced by foreign defendants in Saudi courts, such as limited access to legal representation and key documents. Taha al-Hajji, legal director of the European-Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR), emphasized that foreigners often become victims of drug trafficking networks and endure severe violations from arrest to execution.
“Foreigners are the most vulnerable group,” Hajji stated, highlighting that this is the first time Saudi Arabia has executed over 100 foreigners in a single year.
Jeed Basyouni of the NGO Reprieve condemned the executions for drug-related crimes, arguing they perpetuate cycles of violence. She warned that the total number of executions in Saudi Arabia could exceed 300 by the end of 2024.
Contradictions in Policy and Perception
The surge in executions comes despite Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman previously asserting that the death penalty would be limited to murder cases or crimes threatening multiple lives. Critics argue that the current wave of executions undermines Saudi Arabia’s efforts to modernize its image and promote tourism.
The lifting of a three-year moratorium on drug-related executions in 2022 has contributed significantly to the spike in death sentences. Amnesty International ranked Saudi Arabia third globally in executions in 2023, trailing only China and Iran.
As the numbers continue to climb, human rights organizations are intensifying their calls for Saudi Arabia to halt its excessive use of the death penalty and to address systemic injustices in its judicial processes.
