Saudi Arabia executes eight people in one day

Sunday 03 August 2025 - 12:15

Saudi Arabia carried out the execution of eight individuals in a single day, according to state media reports, highlighting the kingdom's increasing use of capital punishment, especially for drug-related offenses.

The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that four Somali nationals and three Ethiopians were executed on Saturday in the southern region of Najran for smuggling hashish into the country. A Saudi citizen was also executed for murdering his mother.

Since the beginning of 2025, Saudi Arabia has executed 230 people, based on an AFP tally from official announcements. Of these, 154 were convicted of drug-related crimes. In 2024, the kingdom recorded 338 executions, a figure that may be surpassed this year.

Analysts link the recent surge in executions to the "war on drugs" launched by Saudi authorities in 2023. Many of the judicial cases opened during the crackdown are now reaching final verdicts. The country had halted death penalties for drug crimes for around three years but resumed executions in late 2022. Since then, 19 were executed in 2022, 2 in 2023, and 117 in 2024 for narcotics offenses.

Human rights advocates argue that maintaining the death penalty contradicts Saudi Arabia’s efforts to project an image of modernization and tolerance. In contrast, Saudi officials defend the practice, claiming it is necessary to maintain public order and only applied after all legal appeals have been exhausted.