As Saudi Arabia sees a rise in executions related to drug offenses, the country executed eight individuals in a single day, according to Saudi state media.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that four Somali nationals and three Ethiopians were executed on Saturday in the southern region of Najran on charges of smuggling hashish into the kingdom. Additionally, one Saudi citizen was executed for murdering his mother.
According to AFP, Saudi Arabia has executed 230 people so far in 2025. Of those, 154 were put to death for drug-related offenses.
If executions continue at this pace, the country is on track to surpass the 2023 record of 338 executions.
Analysts have linked the increase in executions to Saudi Arabia’s “war on drugs,” launched in 2023. In many cases, those executed had been arrested for the first time and were sentenced only after a legal process and conviction.
At the end of 2022, Saudi Arabia had imposed a near three-year suspension on the use of the death penalty for drug-related crimes.
According to AFP, 19 people were executed for drug offenses in 2022, just two in 2023, and 117 in 2024.
Human rights groups argue that the kingdom’s continued use of the death penalty undermines Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “Vision 2030” reform agenda, which aims to present a more open and tolerant image of Saudi society.
Saudi authorities, however, maintain that the death penalty is necessary to preserve public order and is only applied after all avenues of appeal are exhausted.
How to execute in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, the most common method of execution is beheading by sword, typically carried out in public. Here’s an overview of how executions are usually conducted:
Primary Method:
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Beheading with a sword is the standard method of capital punishment.
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It is often performed in public, though in recent years, some executions have reportedly been conducted within prisons.
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Executions typically take place after Friday prayers, sometimes in public squares, historically known as “Justice Squares” or “Chop-Chop Square” (especially in Riyadh).
Crimes Punishable by Death:
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Murder
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Drug trafficking
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Rape
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Armed robbery
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Apostasy
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Terrorism
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Certain cases of adultery or sorcery (under strict interpretations)
