So far this year, a record 214 people have been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. Of them, 101 are foreign nationals, of whom a maximum of 21 people from Pakistan have been hanged. But this figure triples that of 2023 and 2022. In those two years, between 34 and 34 foreigners were sentenced to death. But in what cases has this punishment been given?
According to a recent report, the death penalty imposed this year in Saudi Arabia has been applied in cases ranging from black magic to treason, murder, rape and drug trafficking.
This year, a maximum of 59 people have been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for drug trafficking cases. Of these 59, 46 are foreigners.
Human Rights Watch says the Saudi government often imposes the death penalty to suppress dissent. The death penalty in the country has almost doubled since King Sultan handed power to his son Mohammed bin Salman.
Which foreigners were sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia?
Pakistan-21
Yemen – 20
Syria – 14
Nigeria – 10
Egypt – 9
Jordan – 8
Ethiopia – 7
India, Afghanistan and Sudan – 3
Sri Lanka, Eritrea and the Philippines – 1
According to the international human rights organization Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia ranks third in terms of hanging foreign prisoners. In 2023, the maximum number of prisoners will be sentenced to death in China and Iran. In September this year, Saudi Arabia carried out the largest number of death sentences in more than three decades. This figure is much higher than the death penalty imposed on 196 people in 2022 and 192 people in 1995. The total number of hangings in 2024 rose to 274 in mid-November. So far, a total of 92 people have been hanged in drug-related cases, of which 69 were foreigners.
In Saudi Arabia’s Islamic law, the death penalty is imposed for different types of crimes in three categories. This includes the names of Kisas (punitive), Hadh (obligatory) and Tajir (discretionary). Within these categories, Saudi courts have broad powers to determine what behavior constitutes a criminal offense and what penalties may result, including the death penalty. Saudi Arabia lifted a three-year moratorium on drug-related executions in 2022, leading to a significant rise in deaths this year.
Previously, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had stated that in Saudi Arabia the death penalty is applied in cases related to murder and that endanger the lives of many people.
