Saudi Arabia: Rising executions condemned by Amnesty

A stark rise of foreigners facing executions in Saudi Arabia has caught the concern of Amnesty International, with 1,816 killed in just over a decade and nearly a third of the executions being on the basis of drug-related charges, Middle East Eye reported July 7th.

Saudi Arabia saw a record-breaking number of executions in 2024, in which 345 were killed, which was Amnesty International’s highest recorded figure in over 30 years. Nationals from Egypt, Jordan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Syria made up 180 executions so far this year, 46 of them were carried out last month, with 37 of those being for drug-related offences.

In a shocking report released by Amnesty, first-hand accounts from 13 inmates and their relatives revealed the cold and pragmatic nature of these executions. The men were from Ethiopia and Somalia, convicted of drug trafficking, and were waiting for a capital punishment they were told was coming any day.

The report also gathers testimonies and evidence from multiple sources, such as court documents and community members, investigating why foreign nationals were disproportionately affected by these executions.

It found that due to limited levels of education, alongside disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, their risk of exploitation had increased.

International human rights law and norms generally agree drug-related offences are not punishable by death. Amnesty’s Kristine Beckerle said: “We are witnessing a truly horrifying trend, with foreign nationals being put to death at a startling rate for crimes that should never carry the death penalty.”

Foreigners are not the only minority falling victim to the brutal trend of capital punishment, the death penalty has also affected the kingdom’s Shia minority, largely on the basis of “terrorism” charges.

Human rights have always been a contentious aspect of Saudi Arabia’s society. As Maghrebi reported on June 10th, the kingdom has a notorious history with issues such as gender inequality to the point at which women are still being imprisoned for “disobedience.”

Beckerle emphasised her disdain for Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty, describing it as “the ultimate cruel,” urging Saudi Arabia’s powerful allies to “exert urgent pressure on the authorities to halt their execution spree.”

Middle East Eye, Amnesty International, Maghrebi.org