Saudi Arabia Records Highest Annual Execution Total for Second Consecutive Year

Saudi Arabia Records Highest Annual Execution Total for Second Consecutive Year
…………..

Saudi Arabia has exceeded its previous annual record for executions for the second year running, with at least 347 people put to death so far in 2025, according to figures compiled by the UK-based advocacy group Reprieve, the BBC reported. The total surpasses the 345 executions recorded in 2024, making this the highest number documented since monitoring began.

Reprieve said the most recent executions involved two Pakistani nationals convicted of drug-related offences. Overall, the group estimates that around two thirds of those executed this year were convicted of non-lethal drug crimes, a practice the United Nations has said is incompatible with international legal standards.

More than half of those executed were foreign nationals, with Reprieve describing the trend as part of an intensified “war on drugs” following the lifting of an unofficial moratorium on drug-related executions in late 2022. At least 96 cases were reportedly linked solely to hashish-related charges. Among those executed were five women, a journalist, and two Saudi nationals who were minors at the time of their alleged protest-related offences.

Human rights organisations have raised concerns over due process, citing allegations of torture, coerced confessions, and limited access to legal representation. Families of death row prisoners have told the BBC they live in constant fear, particularly during weekdays when executions are typically carried out. Reprieve also said relatives are often not informed in advance, nor given access to bodies or burial sites.

The Saudi authorities did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment on the rise in executions. However, in a written response to UN experts earlier this year, the government said it upholds human rights, prohibits torture, and applies the death penalty only for the most serious crimes after all judicial procedures are completed.

Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has pursued social and economic reforms while maintaining strict controls on dissent, a balance that continues to draw international scrutiny amid the sharp rise in executions.