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
- MAY 4, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
The Saudi Press Agency has disclosed that 5 foreigners were beheaded in Saudi Arabia for murder and
The Saudi Press Agency has disclosed that 5 foreigners were beheaded in Saudi Arabia for murder and
- MAY 1, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani convicted of drug smuggling, the 73rd execution in the kingdom so far
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani convicted of drug smuggling, the 73rd execution in the kingdom so far
APRIL 30, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: FOUR SAUDIS EXECUTED FOR MURDER AND DRUG TRAFFICKING
Four Saudis were executed between April 28 and 30 in three different cities, bringing to 72 the number of
- APRIL 28, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
a Saudi national, Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Fahd al-Sohabra al-Dosari, was beheaded for
a Saudi national, Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Fahd al-Sohabra al-Dosari, was beheaded for
APRIL 24, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: ANOTHER THREE PEOPLE BEHEADED IN TWO DAYS
Saudi Arabia executed three more people between 23 and 24 April, bringing to 68 the number of Saudis and foreigners executed in the kingdom this year.
- APRIL 23, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS INDIAN NATIONAL, OWN CITIZEN
Saudi Arabia beheaded two people for murder, one of whom was from India, the interior ministry said.
- APRIL 21, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MAN BEHEADED FOR MURDERING INDONESIAN MAID
a Saudi citizen, Shayea al-Qahtani, was executed in the Province of Abha. He was the 63rd person
- APRIL 17, 2015IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SECOND INDONESIAN MAID EXECUTED
Saudi Arabia has executed a second Indonesian maid despite protests from Jakarta, which is itself facing fierce criticism for its failure to heed calls for clemency for a number of foreigners on death row.
APRIL 14, 2015IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA EXECUTES INDONESIAN WOMAN WITH SUSPECTED MENTAL ILLNESS
Today’s execution of an Indonesian woman with a suspected mental illness is just the latest in the recent macabre spike in Saudi Arabia’s state-sponsored killings, Amnesty International said.
- APRIL 8, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Harbi Saleh Yusef al-Shaqladi was executed for drug-related crimes. (
Harbi Saleh Yusef al-Shaqladi was executed for drug-related crimes. (
- APRIL 6, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI CITIZEN BEHEADED IN NAJRAN
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its own citizens after sentencing him to death on charges related to drug trafficking.
- MARCH 25, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI NATIONAL AND SAUDI MAN BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING AND MURDER
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani national and a Saudi man after sentencing them to death for drug trafficking and murder.
MARCH 17, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: A PAKISTANI AND TWO SAUDIS BEHEADED
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani and two Saudis, bringing to 48 the number of death sentences carried out this year. That is more than half of the 87 people executed during all of 2014.
- MARCH 16, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MAN BEHEADED IN RIYADH FOR MURDER
A man convicted of murder was beheaded in the Saudi capital Riyadh amid a steep rise in the number of executions in the ultra-conservative Gulf kingdom this year.
MARCH 12, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI 'GANG' LEADER 44TH BEHEADED THIS YEAR
The beheading of a gang leader in Saudi Arabia raised the number of executions carried out this year to 44, already more than half the total for 2014.
MARCH 11, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: THREE MEN EXECUTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
Three people were beheaded in Saudi Arabia for drug trafficking.
- MARCH 9, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Filipino convicted of murdering his boss, bringing to 40 the number of executions
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Filipino convicted of murdering his boss, bringing to 40 the number of executions
- MARCH 9, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO MEN BEHEADED FOR MURDER
two men were executed in Saudi Arabia for murder, official sources reported.
- MARCH 8, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: PRINCE ALWALEED PAYS $1.3M TO SAVE MAN ON DEATH ROW
Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal reportedly paid 5 million riyals (1.33 million USD) in “blood money” to save the life of a man on death row for murder.
- MARCH 5, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its citizens for murder.
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its citizens for murder.
- MARCH 3, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
a Saudi convicted rapist, Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed al-Bishi, was executed in the region of Asir,
a Saudi convicted rapist, Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed al-Bishi, was executed in the region of Asir,
MARCH 3, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO MORE PEOPLE BEHEADED IN RIYADH AND QASSIM REGION
Saudi Arabia beheaded two Saudi murderers, bringing to 38 the number of death sentences carried out in
MARCH 3, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO CITIZENS BEHEADED FOR MURDER AND RAPE
Saudi Arabia beheaded two Saudis in two different cities between 1 and 3 March, bringing to 36 the number of death sentences carried out in the kingdom this year.
- MARCH 1, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Mahdi Khalaf al-Shamrani, a Saudi convicted of shooting a compatriot dead, was beheaded
Mahdi Khalaf al-Shamrani, a Saudi convicted of shooting a compatriot dead, was beheaded
- FEBRUARY 26, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO BEHEADED IN RIYADH AND MEDINA
Saudi Arabia beheaded an Indian murderer and a Pakistani heroin trafficker, bringing to 34 the number of
- FEBRUARY 25, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: JORDANIAN NATIONAL BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Jordanian on charges of drug trafficking, bringing to 32 the number of executions
FEBRUARY 24, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: DEATH PENALTY GIVEN TO MAN WHO RENOUNCED HIS MUSLIM FAITH
An Islamic court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a man to death for renouncing his Muslim faith, the
- FEBRUARY 24, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO TERRORISTS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Criminal court in Saudi Arabia sentenced two members of Al Qaeda for plotting to hijack a plane in
FEBRUARY 18, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: APPEAL COURT UPHOLDS DEATH VERDICTS FOR 2 PROTESTERS
A court in Saudi Arabia has upheld death sentences for two protesters over taking part in anti-
- FEBRUARY 15, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO SAUDIS BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Two Saudis condemned to death for murder in separate cases were beheaded by