Saudi Arabia
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 9
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 41
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · Executions are carried out in public with a sword
- News items in the archive
- 1,841
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Saudi Arabia is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 9 executions in the country, against 41 the year before. The archive holds 1,841 news items on Saudi Arabia, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
MARCH 18, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: INDONESIAN WORKER BEHEADED DESPITE JOKOWI’S PLEAS FOR CLEMENCY
Saudi Arabia beheaded an Indonesian migrant worker for murder despite President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s repeated pleas that the man be granted clemency.
- MARCH 13, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Number of reconciliations in murder cases on the rise
13 March 2018: Presentation of Saudi Reconciliation Committee report
- MARCH 8, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded in Rivadeh
8 March 2018: Faraj Al—Ateebi executed for murder
- MARCH 6, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani citizen beheaded in Mecca
6 March 2018: Fadel Kanyoos executed for heroin smuggle
- MARCH 5, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded
5 March 2018: Sulayem Altwirish executed for murder
- MARCH 5, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Syrian citizen beheaded in Tabook
5 March 2018: Ali Mohaamd al-Bardan executed for amphetamines smuggle
- MARCH 1, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded in Afif
1 March 2018: Fayez bin Abdllah al-Ghanmi executed for murder
- FEBRUARY 28, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded in Gawf
28 February 2018: Zaid Bin Beenik executed for amphetamines smuggle
- FEBRUARY 26, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Two foreign citizens beheaded in Tabook
26 February 2018: double execution for amphetamines smuggle
- FEBRUARY 22, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded in Asir
22 February 2018: Hamad Al Hdeesan executed for smuggling cannabis
- FEBRUARY 21, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI COURT HANDS DOWN DEATH SENTENCE TO SHIA POLITICAL DISSIDENT
A court in Saudi Arabia handed down a death penalty to a Shia anti-regime activist.
- FEBRUARY 21, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Jordani citizen beheaded in Tabook
21 February 2018: Ali Suliman al-Agleen executed for smuggling amphetamines
- FEBRUARY 20, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Yemeni citizen beheaded in Jazan
20 February 2018: Mohammed Saleh al-Harthi executed for murder
- FEBRUARY 14, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A bidoon executed for murder
14 February 2018: Saeed al-Mohri, a bidoon, was beheaded for murder.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Jordan executed for drug
13 February 2018: Abdullah bin Ayed bin Suleiman al-Hawit, a Jordan citizen, was beheaded, for smuggling amphetamines.
- FEBRUARY 12, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani citizen beheaded in Mecca
12 February 2018: Shawkat Dawood Khan executed for smuggling heroin
- FEBRUARY 8, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA EXECUTES FOUR PAKISTANIS FOR MURDER, RAPE
Saudi Arabia executed four Pakistani men convicted of raping and murdering a woman and raping her teenage son, the interior ministry said.
- FEBRUARY 7, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Jordan executed for drug
7 February 2018: Samir Abdulqader Nuseirat, a Jordan citizen, was beheaded for smuggling amphetamines.
- FEBRUARY 6, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Nigerian executed for drug
6 February 2018: Adam Muhammad Idris, a Nigerian citizen, was beheaded for smuggling cocaine.
- FEBRUARY 4, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Saudi executed for murder
4 February 2018: Nayef bin Maayu bin Abdullah al-Husni, a Saudi citizen, was beheaded for murder.
- FEBRUARY 1, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Pakistani executed for drug
1 February 2018: Mohammed Kamal Hamidul, a Pakistani citizen, was beheaded for smuggling heroin.
- JANUARY 31, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Saudi executed for murder
31 January 2018: Hadi bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Qahtani, a Saudi citizen, was beheaded for murder
- JANUARY 29, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Saudi executed for murder
28 January 2018: a Saudi citizen, was beheaded for murder in Taef.
- JANUARY 27, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Two Nigerian executed for drug
27 January 2018: two Nigerians have been executed in Saudi Arabia over allegation of drug-related offences. The two were Ibrahim Ciroma and Maimidu Issah, who hail from Northern Nigeria.
- JANUARY 27, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA EXECUTE TWO NIGERIANS
Two Nigerians have been executed in Saudi Arabia over allegation of drug-related offences.
- JANUARY 22, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Three Saudi executed for drug
22 January 2018: Mohammed bin Attallah Salem al-Hawitti, Hussain bin Ahmed bin Hamza al-Hawaishel and Zakaria bin Said bin Said al-Freij, three Saudi citizens, were beheaded for smuggling a large quantity of banned amphetamine pills in Demmam.
- JANUARY 22, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
An Egyptian executed for murder
23 January 2018: Tarek Saed al-Meslmi, an Egyptian citizen, was beheaded for murder in Rivadeh.
- JANUARY 18, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Saudi executed for murder
18 January 2018: Shaliwie bin Mashal bin Khaled al-Shibani al-Otaib, a Saudi citizen, was beheaded for murder in Rivadeh.
- JANUARY 10, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Two Saudi executed for drug
10 January 2018: Khalid bin Ali bin Farraj Al-Omrani and Khaled Abdullah Mohammed Al-Zoubi, two Saudi citizens, were beheaded for smuggling a large quantity of banned amphetamine pills.
- JANUARY 7, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Saudi executed for murder
7 January 2018: Abed allah bin Saeed al-Shibani, a Saudi citizen, was beheaded for murder.