Saudi Arabia has reached a significant milestone in 2024, executing its highest number of prisoners in more than 30 years. According to an AFP report, the latest tally rose to 198 after three additional executions were announced on Saturday, surpassing the previous records of 196 in 2022 and 192 in 1995, as reported by Amnesty International.
This year, the kingdom has become the third highest in the world for executions, trailing only China and Iran. Amnesty International began recording Saudi execution data in 1990, and 2024 marks the first time the numbers have reached such a level.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA), citing a statement from the interior ministry, confirmed the latest executions, sparking fresh criticism from human rights groups over the country’s continued use of capital punishment. Critics argue the practice is excessive and inconsistent with Saudi Arabia’s efforts to present a modernized image on the global stage.
Jeed Basyouni, head of Middle East anti-death penalty advocacy at the NGO Reprieve, stated, “Saudi Arabia has given up the pretence around reforms on the use of the death penalty. Promises made in recent years haven’t materialised or have even been reversed.”
According to the AFP tally, the executed individuals included 32 people convicted of terrorism-related crimes and 52 convicted of drug-related offenses. Amnesty International reported that the kingdom’s previous record of 196 executions was disclosed in a letter from the Saudi human rights commission.
The country’s most notorious mass execution occurred in March 2022, when 81 people were executed in a single day. Riyadh has defended the death penalty as essential for “maintaining public order” and insists that sentences are only carried out once all legal avenues have been exhausted.
Duaa Dhaini, a researcher at the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights, commented on the rising figures, saying, “It’s difficult to pinpoint the real motivation behind the increase in executions. It could be to empty prisons or send a message of force, whether against lawbreakers or political opponents.”
Despite promises of reform, the kingdom’s use of the death penalty continues to rise, particularly in drug-related cases. In 2022, Saudi Arabia ended a three-year moratorium on executions for drug offenses, resulting in 19 executions within a single month. The United Nations has called on the kingdom to halt such executions, arguing that the use of capital punishment for drug-related crimes “contradicts international norms and standards.”
In September, 31 Arab and international human rights organizations issued a joint statement condemning the “sharp increase” in Saudi executions, particularly for drug offenses, signaling growing international concern over the country’s policies.
