Saudi Arabia Sets Record for Highest Number of Executions in Over Three Decades
Saudi Arabia has announced the highest number of executions in over three decades, with 198 people put to death in 2024. The Gulf monarchy has been under fire for its use of the death penalty, with human rights groups condemning the practice as excessive and out of step with its efforts to present a modern image on the international stage.
The latest tally surpasses the previous record of 196 executions set in 2022 and 192 in 1995. According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia executed the third highest number of prisoners in the world in 2023, after China and Iran.
The majority of those executed were convicted of terrorism-related offenses (32) and drug-related offenses (52), according to a tally compiled by AFP from official media reports. The use of the death penalty has been met with widespread criticism, with many arguing that it is a violation of human rights.
The sharp increase in executions has been attributed to a lack of Western public pressure on Saudi Arabia, with the country now feeling “free to behave as it wants,” according to Jeed Basyouni, head of Middle East anti-death penalty advocacy for Reprieve. The organization has long been critical of Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty, citing a lack of transparency and due process in the sentencing process.
The rise in executions comes amid a sharp increase in death sentences carried out against drug offenders, with 19 people put to death in a month at the end of 2022. The United Nations has called on Saudi Arabia to halt the implementation of death sentences for drug crimes, citing that it contradicts international norms and standards.
The Saudi government has defended its use of the death penalty, citing its need to maintain public order. However, critics argue that the practice is a form of intimidation and force, aimed at political opponents and lawbreakers alike.
The European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights has also spoken out against the increase in executions, citing concerns over the lack of transparency and due process in the sentencing process. The organisation has called for an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
As the world continues to condemn Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty, it remains to be seen whether any changes will be made to this controversial practice.
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