Saudi Arabia executed eight people in a single day on Saturday, highlighting a growing trend in the use of capital punishment in the Gulf kingdom. According to state media outlet Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the executions included four Somali nationals and three Ethiopians, all convicted of smuggling hashish into the country. A Saudi man was also executed after being found guilty of murdering his mother.
The latest executions bring the total number of people put to death in Saudi Arabia in 2025 to 230, according to an AFP tally based on official reports. Notably, 154 of these executions were for drug-related offenses, reflecting the kingdom’s intensifying crackdown on narcotics.
This surge in executions puts Saudi Arabia on pace to surpass its 2024 record of 338 executions, already one of the highest in the world. Analysts link the sharp rise to the kingdom’s “war on drugs,” launched in 2023. Many of those executed this year were reportedly arrested during the initial phases of the campaign and have now reached the end of lengthy legal processes.
Saudi Arabia had previously suspended the use of the death penalty for drug crimes for approximately three years. Executions for such offenses resumed in late 2022, with 19 people executed that year, just two in 2023, and a sharp increase to 117 in 2024. The current trend suggests a continued and significant escalation.
The use of capital punishment in drug cases and other crimes has drawn criticism from human rights groups. Activists argue that the policy is at odds with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030, which seeks to portray Saudi Arabia as a modern, reforming state. They say such actions undermine international perceptions of progress on human rights.
However, Saudi authorities defend the use of the death penalty, stating it is essential for maintaining public order and is only carried out after all legal appeals have been exhausted. As the kingdom continues its drug crackdown, global attention is likely to remain focused on its controversial approach to justice.
