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
DECEMBER 16, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 2 BEHEADED SAUDIS BRING 2014 EXECUTION TALLY TO 82
2 Saudis were beheaded for drug trafficking and murder, official media reported, bringing to 82 the number of executions this year.
DECEMBER 15, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: YEMENI THIEF'S HAND AMPUTATED
Saudi officials amputated the right hand of a Yemeni national convicted of several thefts.
DECEMBER 12, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: FILIPINO BEHEADED FOR MURDER
A Filipino convicted of murder was beheaded in Riyadh. Carlito Lana shot dead Saudi national Nasser
DECEMBER 11, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani for heroin smuggling, bringing to 10 the number of people from his
- DECEMBER 9, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: ETHIOPIAN WOMAN BEHEADED FOR MURDERING A THREE-YEAR-OLD CHILD
An Ethiopian maid, Khadija bint Mohammed Isa, was beheaded in Hafar al-Batin, the interior ministry said.
DECEMBER 9, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA CARRIES OUT 77TH EXECUTION OF 2014
Saudi Arabia beheaded a convicted Saudi drug trafficker, the 77th state execution in the oil-rich kingdom
DECEMBER 5, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PARDON PUSHES ASIAN KILLER TO ISLAM
Arar newspaper said a Sri Lankan man on the death row converted to Islam after he was pardoned by the
- DECEMBER 3, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SYRIAN IS 75TH PERSON EXECUTED THIS YEAR
Saudi Arabia executed a Syrian convicted of drug smuggling, bringing to 75 the number of locals and
DECEMBER 3, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR ROLE IN AL-QAEDA CELL
A Saudi court sentenced a Saudi citizen to death for helping al-Qaeda carry out terrorist attacks in the
- NOVEMBER 28, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA IMPOSES DEATH SENTENCE FOR BIBLE SMUGGLING
In a recent official statement from the Saudi Arabian government, the death sentence will now be imposed
- NOVEMBER 27, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani for heroin smuggling. Mohammed Rahman Mohammed Asghar was
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani for heroin smuggling. Mohammed Rahman Mohammed Asghar was
NOVEMBER 25, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI BEHEADS 8TH PAKISTANI SINCE MID-OCTOBER
A Pakistani became the eighth person from the country to be beheaded in Saudi Arabia for drug trafficking
NOVEMBER 24, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: THREE MEN BEHEADED IN RIYADH
Three men have been executed in the Saudi capital Riyadh in the last days.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi authorities beheaded two local men convicted of raping two girls, stealing cars and taking drugs, the
Saudi authorities beheaded two local men convicted of raping two girls, stealing cars and taking drugs, the
- NOVEMBER 20, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Turkish man convicted of drug trafficking, the interior ministry said
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Turkish man convicted of drug trafficking, the interior ministry said
- NOVEMBER 19, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: KILLER WHO SHOT DEAD A POLICEMAN AND SOLDIER AND TRIED TO FLEE WHILE WEARING A BURKHA IS BEHEADED
A killer who shot dead a policeman and soldier before donning a burkha in a bid to evade police was
- NOVEMBER 18, 2014SyriaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MAN BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Syrian convicted of drug trafficking, official media said, bringing to 68 the number
- NOVEMBER 13, 2014PakistanDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI DRUG SMUGGLER BEHEADED
A man who was convicted of smuggling heroin in his intestines has become the seventh Pakistani beheaded
- NOVEMBER 12, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a convicted drug trafficker in the northern region of Jawf. Mohammed
Saudi Arabia beheaded a convicted drug trafficker in the northern region of Jawf. Mohammed
- NOVEMBER 7, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO PAKISTANIS EXECUTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
Saudi Arabia beheaded two Pakistanis for drug smuggling between 5 and 6 November.
- NOVEMBER 6, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
pakistani Amin Allah Zar Gul was beheaded in Riyadh after he was "found guilty of trying to smuggle
pakistani Amin Allah Zar Gul was beheaded in Riyadh after he was "found guilty of trying to smuggle
- NOVEMBER 5, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
pakistani Mohammed Sadiq Hanif was executed in Saudi Arabia, in the eastern town of Khubar, for his
pakistani Mohammed Sadiq Hanif was executed in Saudi Arabia, in the eastern town of Khubar, for his
- NOVEMBER 3, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Abdulhadi bin Saudi bin Saad al-Malik was beheaded for murder.
Abdulhadi bin Saudi bin Saad al-Malik was beheaded for murder.
NOVEMBER 2, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI KING SUSPENDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR SHEIKH AL-NIMR AFTER RAFSANJANI'S LETTER
Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has stopped the death sentence given to prominent Shiite cleric Sheikh
OCTOBER 28, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA CARRIES OUT 61ST EXECUTION OF 2014
Saudi Arabia beheaded two prisoners convicted of drug smuggling, raising to 61 the number of death sentences carried out in the kingdom this year, according to an AFP tally.
OCTOBER 21, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO AWAMIYAH RIOTERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Special Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced to death two men convicted of taking part in rioting in Al-
- OCTOBER 15, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: OUTSPOKEN SHI'ITE CLERIC SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Saudi judge sentenced to death an outspoken Shi'ite Muslim cleric whose arrest two years ago prompted
- OCTOBER 13, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: THREE DEATH SENTENCED IN 'TERRORIST' CASE
A Saudi court sentenced a Chadian and an Egyptian to death while several other people were jailed up to
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: DEATH SENTENCES FOR 4 SAUDIS IN 'BLOODIEST TERROR' CELL
four Saudi men were sentenced to death for their role in one of the kingdom's "bloodiest terror cells", official
SEPTEMBER 18, 2014PakistanDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI BEHEADED FOR HEROIN SMUGGLING
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani who attempted to smuggle heroin into the kingdom, the interior ministry