Saudi Arabia carried out at least 338 executions in 2024, a sharp rise from 170 in 2023 and the highest annual total in decades, according to an AFP tally. This marks a significant increase from previous records, with Amnesty International noting earlier highs of 196 executions in 2022 and 192 in 1995.
Drug trafficking cases accounted for at least 117 of those executed last year, following the end of a moratorium on the death penalty for drug-related offences in 2021. The resumption coincided with a nationwide anti-drug campaign, which included highly publicized raids and arrests targeting traffickers and users.
Saudi Arabia has faced growing scrutiny from human rights organizations over the rise in executions, particularly for drug offences. In September 2024, more than 30 Arab and international rights groups criticized the surge, calling it a “sharp increase” in the use of the death penalty.
Foreign nationals comprised a significant proportion of those executed in 2024, with 129 individuals from countries including Yemen, Pakistan, Egypt, and Nigeria. The kingdom has defended its use of capital punishment as a deterrent to crime and a measure to maintain public order, emphasizing that all executions follow the exhaustion of appeals.
Saudi Arabia’s execution rate is among the highest globally, surpassed only by China and Iran in recent years, according to Amnesty International. The kingdom’s strict enforcement of its legal code reflects its commitment to upholding its interpretation of justice, despite international criticism.
