RIYADH – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has recently executed two more individuals for drug trafficking, bringing the total number of executions this year to 106. The latest executions took place in Makkah: a Saudi national was executed for trafficking amphetamines, and a Pakistani citizen was executed for heroin-related offenses.
Saudi Arabia resumed drug-related executions in late 2022 after a nearly three-year pause. Out of the 106 executions carried out this year, seven were for drug-related crimes. In 2023, the kingdom executed at least 170 people, including 33 for terrorism-related offenses. This compares to 74 executions by the same time last year.
The European-Saudi Organisation for Human Rights has criticized Saudi Arabia for its high execution rate, arguing that executing someone nearly every two days is a significant use of the death penalty, which contravenes international laws and the kingdom’s official commitments.
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This year’s executions included 78 Saudis, eight Yemenis, five Ethiopians, seven Pakistanis, three Syrians, and individuals from Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Jordan, India, and Sudan, with two women among the executed.
According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia’s execution rate in 2023 is second only to China and Iran. The kingdom, known for its use of beheadings, faced global condemnation after executing 81 people in a single day in March 2022. While Saudi authorities argue that these executions are essential for upholding Sharia law and maintaining public order, critics contend that such practices undermine the kingdom’s efforts to project a more progressive image under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda.
