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
- 1,877
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 1,877 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
- JANUARY 6, 2016Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed a citizen convicted of murder, raising to 49 the number of death sentences carried
Saudi Arabia executed a citizen convicted of murder, raising to 49 the number of death sentences carried
- JANUARY 4, 2016Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia put to death a man convicted of murder, following its weekend executions of 47 men including
Saudi Arabia put to death a man convicted of murder, following its weekend executions of 47 men including
JANUARY 3, 2016Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: THE UNITED NATIONS DEPLORED THE MASS EXECUTION OF 47 PEOPLE
The United Nations deplored the mass execution of 47 people by Saudi Arabia, calling on the Riyadh
JANUARY 2, 2016Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 47 PUT TO DEATH, INCLUDING PROMINENT SHIITE CLERIC
Saudi Arabia executed 47 people convicted of terrorism-related offenses, including suspected members of
- JANUARY 1, 2016Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law
DECEMBER 29, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: FILIPINO EXECUTED, 153RD DEATH SENTENCE IN 2015
Saudi Arabia executed a Filipino man convicted of murder, bringing to 153 the number of people put to
DECEMBER 24, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 2 SAUDI MILLIONAIRES SAVES FILIPINO ON DEATH ROW AS CHRISTMAS GIFT
Two Saudi millionaires has donated SR225,000 (Php2.8 million) to pay the blood money (diya) for a
DECEMBER 23, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SRI LANKAN MAID SPARED IN ADULTERY CASE
The life of a Sri Lankan maid due to be stoned to death in Saudi Arabia for adultery has been spared, Sri Lanka's foreign ministry says.
DECEMBER 15, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI PUT TO DEATH IN KINGDOM'S 151ST EXECUTION OF YEAR
A Saudi convicted of murder was executed in the eastern province of Ihsa, in the 151st death sentence
- DECEMBER 8, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed a convicted Pakistani heroin smuggler and a Saudi murderer.
Saudi Arabia executed a convicted Pakistani heroin smuggler and a Saudi murderer.
DECEMBER 8, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: AUTHORITIES EXECUTE THREE AS ANNUAL TOLL HITS 150
Saudi Arabia executed three men in the last two days.
- DECEMBER 7, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed a man convicted of killing his wife.
Saudi Arabia executed a man convicted of killing his wife.
NOVEMBER 20, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PALESTINIAN POET SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR APOSTASY
A Saudi Arabian court has sentenced a Palestinian poet to death for apostasy, abandoning his Muslim faith,
NOVEMBER 19, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: LANKAN MAID TO BE STONED TO DEATH
A Saudi Arabian court has sentenced a Sri Lankan woman to death by stoning, after she confessed to committing adultery.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI EXECUTES MURDERER, 147TH DEATH SENTENCE THIS YEAR
Saudi Arabia executed one of its citizens convicted of murder.
- NOVEMBER 9, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed a citizen convicted of killing a policeman, the interior ministry announced, bringing to
Saudi Arabia executed a citizen convicted of killing a policeman, the interior ministry announced, bringing to
NOVEMBER 9, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: FOUR PRISONERS BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING, MURDER
Four prisoners were beheaded in Saudi Arabia between November 8 and 9.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed three Iranians convicted of drug trafficking, the interior ministry said, bringing to 145
Saudi Arabia executed three Iranians convicted of drug trafficking, the interior ministry said, bringing to 145
- NOVEMBER 2, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: CITIZEN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed one of its citizens after he was convicted of running over and killing a fellow tribesman, the interior ministry said.
OCTOBER 29, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYEU: RAIF BADAWI WINS SAKHAROV HUMAN RIGHTS PRIZE
Raif Badawi, the Saudi blogger and activist sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for insulting Islam, won the EU’s Sakharov prize for human rights.
- OCTOBER 29, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI CARRIES OUT 141ST EXECUTION THIS YEAR
Saudi Arabia carried out its 141st execution this year, putting one of its citizens to death for murder.
- OCTOBER 27, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI HEROIN TRAFFICKER EXECUTED
Saudi Arabia executed a convicted Pakistani heroin smuggler, bringing the number of people put to death this year to 138.
- OCTOBER 25, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR SHI'ITE CLERIC
Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal against the death sentence passed this year on Shi'ite
- OCTOBER 22, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI MAN PUT TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF FELLOW CITIZEN
Saudi Arabia carried out its 137th execution this year, putting to death another of its citizens for murder.
- OCTOBER 21, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi national Mutlig Al Otaibi was executed in Riyadh after being found guilty of shooting dead a
Saudi national Mutlig Al Otaibi was executed in Riyadh after being found guilty of shooting dead a
- OCTOBER 15, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI EXECUTION TOLL CLIMBS TO 135
Saudi Arabia executed one of its citizens convicted of murder, bringing to 135 the number of people put to
- OCTOBER 13, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI NATIONAL EXECUTED FOR KILLING POLICEMAN
Saudi Arabia executed one of its citizens in the southern city of Abha after he was convicted of killing a
OCTOBER 6, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SECOND JUVENILE TO FACE ‘BEHEADING’ FOR PROTESTS
A second juvenile is facing beheading in Saudi Arabia after a court upheld his conviction for a role in
SEPTEMBER 22, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA MUST IMMEDIATELY HALT EXECUTION OF CHILDREN – UN RIGHTS EXPERTS URGE
A group of United Nations human rights experts urged the Government of Saudi Arabia to halt the
SEPTEMBER 10, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: IRAQI EXECUTED FOR MURDER
An Iraqi convicted of murder became the 132nd person executed in Saudi Arabia this year, the interior ministry said.