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
JANUARY 14, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO PAKISTANIS BEHEADED IN YEAR’S FIRST EXECUTIONS
Saudi authorities beheaded two Pakistanis for drug smuggling in the kingdom’s first executions of the year,
JANUARY 7, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: JAIL, 99 LASHES FOR 7 SAUDI MEN CAUGHT AT MIXED PARTY WITH ALCOHOL
A Saudi court sentenced seven men to long jail terms and ordered them lashed 99 times each in front of a
- JANUARY 2, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TABUK EMIR’S INTERVENTION SAVES MAN FROM DEATH ROW
mediation efforts by Tabuk Emir Prince Fahd Bin Sultan paved the way for the family of a murder
- JANUARY 1, 2014Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law
DECEMBER 31, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: A PAKISTANI MAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi authorities beheaded a Pakistani man after he was convicted of smuggling drugs into the kingdom, the
- DECEMBER 29, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MEMBER OF THE KINGDOM'S RULING FAMILY FACES DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER
a newspaper reported a Saudi prince who murdered a fellow Saudi may be executed, in a rare example of a
DECEMBER 25, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: BLOGGER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR APOSTASY
Raif Badawi, a Saudi blogger who has been in prison since June 2012 for violating the nation’s anti-
- DECEMBER 20, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Anad al-Amrani, a Saudi national, was beheaded in Tabuk after being found guilty of smuggling
Anad al-Amrani, a Saudi national, was beheaded in Tabuk after being found guilty of smuggling
- DECEMBER 19, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI PRINCE SAVES KILLER FROM EXECUTION
A Saudi sentenced to death for killing another citizen is set to walk free after mediation by
- DECEMBER 17, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi authorities beheaded a Syrian man convicted of smuggling drugs. Hasan Mahmud al-Bash was
Saudi authorities beheaded a Syrian man convicted of smuggling drugs. Hasan Mahmud al-Bash was
- DECEMBER 10, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
a Pakistani man was executed in the capital Riyadh for smuggling drugs into the kingdom, the
a Pakistani man was executed in the capital Riyadh for smuggling drugs into the kingdom, the
- DECEMBER 8, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI DRUG TRAFFICKER BEHEADED
A Pakistani man, identified as Mohammed Zayer Khan Qol, was beheaded after he was found
NOVEMBER 26, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi authorities beheaded a Pakistani man convicted of smuggling drugs to the ultra-conservative
NOVEMBER 24, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR JEDDAH US CONSULATE ATTACKER
A special criminal court in Riyadh sentenced to death a terrorist, who survived in the attack
NOVEMBER 9, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI WHO KILLED WOMAN MISTAKING HER FOR MONKEY IS SAVED FROM THE GALLOWS
the family of an old Saudi woman who was shot dead by a young relative after he mistook her
- NOVEMBER 6, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Jaafar Ghulam Ali, a Pakistani national, was beheaded in Qatif Province for drug trafficking.
Jaafar Ghulam Ali, a Pakistani national, was beheaded in Qatif Province for drug trafficking.
- NOVEMBER 3, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS CITIZEN OVER MURDER
Saudi authorities beheaded a citizen in the southern Najran province after he was convicted of killing another man, the interior ministry said.
NOVEMBER 3, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: BLOOD MONEY FOR FILIPINO ON DEATH ROW SHORT OF TARGET AMOUNT ON DEADLINE
On the day of the deadline for its payment, the blood money raised so far for Joselito Zapanta, the Filipino
- OCTOBER 10, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
an unidentified Emirati man paid SR 5 million (Dh4.9 million) to save a Saudi man
an unidentified Emirati man paid SR 5 million (Dh4.9 million) to save a Saudi man
OCTOBER 10, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI BEHEADED FOR TRIBAL KILLING
Saudi authorities beheaded a citizen in the western province of Taif after he was convicted
OCTOBER 1, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT OF 8 PAKISTANIS SUSPENDED
Saudi Arabia, on the request of Pakistan embassy, has suspended the capital punishment
- SEPTEMBER 17, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Syrian man, Waleed Zeineddin, was beheaded in Jawf region, after he was convicted of trafficking
A Syrian man, Waleed Zeineddin, was beheaded in Jawf region, after he was convicted of trafficking
- SEPTEMBER 11, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MAN BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Saudi authorities beheaded national Salim Bin Hassan Al Essi in the city of Qunfadhah. He was
SEPTEMBER 5, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Saudi authorities beheaded two citizens in Riyadh after they were convicted of separate murders.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: CONVICTED MURDERER BEHEADED IN CENTRAL PROVINCE
A man convicted of killing his brother was beheaded in Saudia Arabia's central Qasim province, the state Spa news agency reported, citing the interior ministry.
- AUGUST 21, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. YEMENI BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Saudi authorities executed a Yemeni in Mecca after he was convicted of murdering a fellow countryman, the interior ministry said.
- AUGUST 21, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi authorities executed a Yemeni national in Mecca after he was convicted of murdering a fellow
Saudi authorities executed a Yemeni national in Mecca after he was convicted of murdering a fellow
- AUGUST 20, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. TWO EXECUTIONS
Saudi Arabia beheaded by the sword two nationals convicted of murdering a Syrian and of armed robbery, the interior ministry said.
- AUGUST 15, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN BEHEADED FOR TORTURING HIS WIFE
Saudi Arabian authorities have beheaded a man convicted of beating and torturing his wife to death.
- JULY 30, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: PRISON, LASHES FOR LIBERAL SAUDI WEBSITE FOUNDER
The founder of a liberal minded website in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes after angering Islamic authorities in the country, a newspaper reported.