Continued Executions in Saudi Arabia Spark Global Concern Over Human Rights

Continued Executions in Saudi Arabia Spark Global Concern Over Human Rights
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Amid promises of reform, Saudi Arabia faces mounting international criticism as executions continue, particularly affecting Shia communities in the Eastern Province. According to Shia Waves Persian citing Arabic 21, two brothers from the Lebad family in Qatif have been executed, while a third brother remains under threat of execution, highlighting the ongoing human rights crisis in the kingdom.

Fadhil Lebad was executed in April 2019 along with 36 others for alleged involvement in protests during 2011–2012, in what human rights groups described as a mass trial lacking due process. Six years later, in August 2025, Jalal Lebad was executed for alleged collaboration with a foreign terrorist group and involvement in the killing of Judge Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Jirani. The judge’s body had been recovered in 2017 after his abduction in 2016.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have denounced the trials as “grossly unfair and devoid of justice guarantees.” Basan Faqih, Amnesty International’s Middle East director, told the BBC that the mass trial preceding Fadhil Lebad’s execution is emblematic of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing violations of basic prisoner rights.

The third brother, Muhammad Lebad, voluntarily surrendered in September 2017 based on official government assurances of amnesty for those who turned themselves in. However, he now faces the risk of execution, raising serious concerns about the kingdom’s adherence to its own commitments.

The surge in executions occurs even as Riyadh promotes economic and social initiatives under its “Vision 2030” plan, aiming to enhance its international image. Observers and international organizations, however, argue that these reforms have not improved human rights conditions.

Global human rights advocates continue to call for an end to mass executions, the guarantee of fair trials, and respect for the basic rights of prisoners, including minors arrested in protests and individuals who surrendered in reliance on government promises.

The case of the Lebad family starkly illustrates the contradictions in Saudi governance: the public promise of reform and amnesty exists alongside the continuation of executions and systemic violations of fundamental human rights.