Rights Groups Condemn Record Number of Executions in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has shattered its own record for executions, marking a troubling trend that rights groups are denouncing. As of this week, at least 347 individuals have been executed in 2025, surpassing last year’s total of 345, according to the UK-based organization Reprieve, which monitors capital punishment in the kingdom.
Alarming Trends in Saudi Executions
– Recent Executions:
– Among the latest victims is Issam al-Shazly, an Egyptian fisherman executed on drug-related charges, highlighting the troubling nature of the offenses for which people are being put to death.
– The recent tally includes two Pakistani nationals convicted of similar charges, as well as a journalist and two young men who were children at the time of their alleged protest-related crimes. Women make up five of the executed cases.
– Nature of Offenses:
– Approximately two-thirds of those executed this year were convicted for non-lethal drug offenses, offenses which the United Nations deems incompatible with international norms.
– Over half of the individuals executed were foreign nationals, indicating a significant aspect of the kingdom’s controversial war on drugs.
Expert Opinions on Human Rights Violations
Rights advocates have voiced strong criticisms regarding the surge in executions:
– Jeed Basyouni, Reprieve’s head of death penalty for the Middle East and North Africa, declared: Saudi Arabia is operating with complete impunity now.
– She characterized the situation as a brutal and arbitrary crackdown, asserting that innocent individuals, particularly those on the societal margins, have been negatively impacted.
Background on Increased Executions
The remarkable rise in drug-related executions follows the end of an unofficial moratorium in late 2022, a decision lamented by the UN human rights office. Families of individuals on death row have described a state of sheer terror, with one relative stating they can only sleep on weekends—when executions reportedly do not occur.
– Witness Accounts: Inmates recounted the harrowing experience of witnessing fellow prisoners being dragged to their deaths, a chilling testament to the severity of the situation inside Saudi prisons.
The Dual Face of Reform and Repression
Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia since 2017, has initiated significant social reforms aimed at diversifying the kingdom’s economy. However, these changes accompany an alarming increase in suppression of dissent.
– Under his rule, the country has seen both loosened social constraints and intensified crackdowns on critics.
– Human Rights Watch commented that, despite publicized reforms, the kingdom’s human rights record remains abysmal, particularly due to the high rates of executions.
Calls for Moratorium on Executions
The UN’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Dr. Morris Tidball-Binz, has urged for an immediate moratorium on capital punishment in the kingdom, pressing for adherence to international directives that include effective legal assistance and proper notification to families regarding executions.
– Reports indicate that families are often left in the dark about the fate of their loved ones, with authorities failing to disclose execution methods or burial locations.
Controversial Cases Underscore Systemic Issues
Notably, the executions of Abdullah al-Derazi and Jalal al-Labbad—both minors at the time of their alleged crimes—further illustrate the severe implications of Saudi Arabia’s judicial practices. They were sentenced to death after trials marred by torture-influenced confessions.
– The execution of journalist Turki al-Jasser, deemed a serious blow to press freedom, accentuates the risks faced by those who challenge the regime’s narratives.
In conclusion, the alarming increase in executions in Saudi Arabia underscores a persistent human rights crisis. Rights groups are urgently calling for a reevaluation of the country’s capital punishment policies to protect vulnerable individuals and uphold fundamental human rights.