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
- 1,878
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 1,878 news items on Saudi Arabia, from 1999 to today.
In Saudi Arabia the death penalty applies to murder, drug offences, terrorism and certain offences under sharia law. The usual method is beheading, in some cases carried out in public. Executions are often announced in groups by the official press agency and a significant share of them involve foreign nationals.
The system of diya, the compensation a victim's family may accept in place of an execution, leaves some sentences reversible until the last moment. The archive gathers official announcements, individual cases and the campaigns to stop them.
Latest news
APRIL 8, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSaudi citizen beheaded in Mecca
8 April 2018: Mogren al-Ateebe executed for murder
APRIL 5, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: DEATH SENTENCE TO ISIS MEMBER WHO KILLED HIS COUSIN
Riyadh’s Criminal Court issued a preliminary death sentence against a Saudi citizen after he was convicted of killing a number of civilians and security men, including his own cousin.
- APRIL 4, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Sudanese citizen beheaded in Abha
4 April 2018: Mohammad Abed al-Baki executed for murder
- APRIL 3, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Beheading for drugs smuggle
3 April 2018: Abdullah Hawas al-Shelal executed
- APRIL 2, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded in Breeda
2 April 2018: Fawaz al-Attebe executed for murder
- MARCH 22, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Nigerian citizen beheaded in Mecca
22 March 2018: Adam Abedllah Mohammad executed for cocaine smuggle
- MARCH 22, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
"Kill them Children"
March 22, 2018: A new dangerous governmental Saudi justification for legalizing children’s Beheading
MARCH 21, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TERRORISM
The Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced a man to death for being part of a terrorist cell in the town of Al-Awamiyah in the Eastern Province.
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 18, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Indonesian migrant worker beheaded for murder
March 18, 2018: M. Zaini Misrin executed notwithstanding clemency pleas from President Jokowi
- 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
Syrian citizen beheaded in Tabook
5 March 2018: Ali Mohaamd al-Bardan executed for amphetamines smuggle
- MARCH 5, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded
5 March 2018: Sulayem Altwirish executed for murder
- 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
Jordani citizen beheaded in Tabook
21 February 2018: Ali Suliman al-Agleen executed for smuggling amphetamines
- 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 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 PENALTYSAUDI 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.