Saudi Arabia has established a grim new benchmark in its use of capital punishment, with official records confirming 340 executions carried out during 2024. This figure surpasses the previous record of 338 executions documented in the same year, according to data compiled by AFP. The latest statistics follow Monday’s execution of three individuals in Mecca convicted of murder charges.
Human rights organizations including Alqst, Amnesty International, and Reprieve have reported slightly higher numbers, documenting 345 executions during this period. The majority of these executions (232 cases) involved drug-related offenses, while others were conducted under terrorism charges—a broadly defined category within Saudi jurisprudence.
Nadyeen Abdulaziz of UK-based Alqst told Middle East Eye: “Saudi authorities’ willingness to exceed last year’s execution toll demonstrates a disturbing disregard for fundamental human rights and repeated appeals from UN experts and civil society.”
Significant concerns have emerged regarding judicial processes, with numerous cases involving confessions allegedly obtained through torture and the execution of individuals who were minors at the time of their alleged offenses. This practice directly violates international human rights law, particularly the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Saudi Arabia is a signatory.
Despite a 2020 royal order prohibiting capital punishment for juvenile offenders and global scrutiny, the kingdom has continued to execute individuals who committed crimes as minors. Alqst has identified five additional child offenders currently facing imminent execution.
International law strictly limits capital punishment to cases involving intentional killing, raising questions about the legality of drug-related executions. The resumption of death penalties for drug offenses in late 2022, following a three-year suspension, has particularly affected foreign nationals, who comprise a substantial portion of those executed.
According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia maintained its position as having the world’s third-highest execution rate in 2022, 2023, and 2024, trailing only China and Iran in its use of capital punishment.