Riyadh: A new report published by Amnesty International today draws attention to a startling surge in executions in Saudi Arabia in recent years, particularly for drug-related offences, and highlights the significant impact of these on foreign nationals.
According to Amnesty International, between January 2014 and June 2025, Saudi Arabia executed 1,816 people, with nearly one in three executed for drug-related offences. Out of the 597 people executed for drug-related offences during this period, foreign nationals constituted nearly three-quarters (75%) of such executions. In 2024 alone, Saudi Arabia carried out a record 345 executions, and from January to June 2025, 180 people have been executed.
In June 2025 alone, 46 people were executed, including 37 for drug-related offences, averaging more than one drug-related execution per day. Out of these, 34 were foreign nationals from countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria.
Kristine Beckerle, Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, expressed deep concern over Saudi Arabia's use of the death penalty following unfair trials, describing it as a violation of international law. She emphasized the alarming rate at which foreign nationals are being executed for offences that should not warrant the death penalty.
The report sheds light on Saudi Arabia's 33-month moratorium on drug-related executions, announced in January 2021, which was lifted in November 2022. Since then, over 262 people have been executed for drug-related offences, nearly half of the total drug-related executions over a decade.
The analysis contrasts with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's earlier statements about limiting the death penalty for ta'zir offences. Instead, judges have increased the severity of punishments, leading to 122 ta'zir executions for drug-related offences in 2024 and 118 in the first half of 2025.
Foreign nationals face additional hurdles in receiving fair trials in Saudi Arabia, with challenges such as lack of access to legal representation and language barriers. Amnesty International, along with partner organizations, documented cases of 25 foreign nationals sentenced to death, highlighting systemic failures in guaranteeing their right to a fair trial.
The report also highlights cases where individuals reported torture or ill-treatment to extract confessions during pre-trial detention, violating international safeguards. The lack of information about execution dates and withholding of bodies adds to the distress of the families involved.
Beyond drug offences, the report notes the use of the death penalty for "terrorism"-related offences against Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, who face significant political repression. Despite legal reforms, seven young men, some as young as 12 at the time of their alleged offences, remain at risk of execution, contravening international human rights law.
Kristine Beckerle calls for an immediate moratorium on executions in Saudi Arabia, urging the international community to pressure the authorities to adhere to human rights obligations.