Record executions in Saudi Arabia: Over 100 foreign nationals put to death in 2024 | Crime News
Human rights organisations have condemned this surge in executions, accusing Saudi Arabia of excessively wielding its power to execute.
101 foreign executions represents the highest number ever recorded by Saudi authorities in a single year.
New Delhi: In a startling escalation of capital punishment, Saudi Arabia has executed more than 100 foreign nationals in just the first half of 2024, marking an unprecedented rise in the use of the death penalty for non-citizens. This figure has already surpassed the total number of foreign executions in both 2022 and 2023, where 34 individuals were executed each year.
The latest execution involved a Yemeni citizen who was convicted of drug trafficking, further highlighting the kingdom’s stringent stance on narcotics offences. According to reports from the European-Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR), this year’s total of 101 foreign executions represents the highest number ever recorded by Saudi authorities in a single year.
Taha al-Hajji, legal director at ESOHR, stated, “This is the largest number of executions of foreigners in one year. Saudi Arabia has never executed 100 foreigners in a year.”
Human rights organisations have condemned this surge in executions, accusing Saudi Arabia of excessively wielding its power to execute. Critics argue that these actions may be part of an effort by the kingdom to improve its international image while simultaneously deterring crime. Amnesty International’s recent report indicates that Saudi Arabia ranks third globally in the number of executions, trailing only China and Iran.
The report reveals that as of September 2024, Saudi Arabia conducted its largest number of executions in three decades. Historical data shows that in 1995, the kingdom executed 192 individuals, while in 2022, that number rose to 196. In stark contrast, this year alone has seen a total of 274 executions across various nationalities.
Among those executed this year are 21 Pakistani citizens, 20 Yemenis, 14 Syrians, and several others from Nigeria, Egypt, Jordan, and Ethiopia. Notably, foreign nationals often encounter significant barriers to receiving fair trials within the Saudi judicial system, raising concerns among diplomats and human rights advocates alike.
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