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
- MARCH 13, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi authorities executed a saudi national Fada al-Subaie in the southwestern
Saudi authorities executed a saudi national Fada al-Subaie in the southwestern
- MARCH 13, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
a senior cleric has given his seal of approval for execution by firing squad
a senior cleric has given his seal of approval for execution by firing squad
- MARCH 13, 2013NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Adam Abdullah Younes, a Nigerian, was beheaded in Riyadh, after being convicted of trafficking drugs into
Adam Abdullah Younes, a Nigerian, was beheaded in Riyadh, after being convicted of trafficking drugs into
MARCH 13, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: EIGHT PEOPLE EXECUTED THE SAME DAY
eight men were executed in Saudi Arabia, bringing to 26 the number of people put to death in Saudi Arabia so far this year.
MARCH 12, 2013PhilippinesDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PHILIPPINES RACES TO RAISE MONEY TO SAVE MURDER CONVICT ON DEATH ROW
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has suspended executions of Filipinos for three months, giving a Filipino
MARCH 10, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDIS RETHINKING METHOD OF EXECUTION
A Saudi newspaper says a ministerial committee is looking into formally dropping public beheadings
- MARCH 7, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: KILLER SAVED FROM GALLOWS FOR DH64.5 MILLION
A Saudi man agreed to pardon the killer of his son in return for diya (blood money
MARCH 4, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 7 SAUDIS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY CRUCIFIXION, FIRING SQUAD APPEAL FOR HELP TO STOP EXECUTIONS
Speaking over a smuggled cellphone from his prison cell, one of seven Saudis set to be
- FEBRUARY 24, 2013JordanDEATH PENALTY
a Jordanian man, Faris Salam Salama al-Maghrebi...
a Jordanian man, Faris Salam Salama al-Maghrebi...
- FEBRUARY 20, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
an Iraqi court has sentenced a Saudi man to death for joining a Jihadist group
an Iraqi court has sentenced a Saudi man to death for joining a Jihadist group
- FEBRUARY 20, 2013PakistanDEATH PENALTY
a Pakistani man, Aqeel Khan Mohammed Riyad...
a Pakistani man, Aqeel Khan Mohammed Riyad...
- FEBRUARY 20, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: KING SAVES KILLER FROM GALLOWS
A Yemeni killer who had been on the death row in Saudi Arabia for six years will soon
FEBRUARY 19, 2013ChadDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: CHADIAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG CRIMES
In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Interior said Abdulkarim Ibrahim Mousa Abkar, a Chadian national, was executed in Makkah after being found guilty of dealing in cocaine for the second time.
- FEBRUARY 12, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Nabil Abu Khanjar, a Syrian, was beheaded in Al-Jawf Province after he was convicted
Nabil Abu Khanjar, a Syrian, was beheaded in Al-Jawf Province after he was convicted
FEBRUARY 12, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: NATIONAL BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its nationals in the southwestern Aseer region after he was convicted of murdering a fellow citizen, the interior ministry announced.
- FEBRUARY 5, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MAN BEHEADED AFTER 30 YRS ON DEATH ROW
Saudi authorities beheaded a man some thirty years after he was convicted of murder, after his victim's youngest son came of age and agreed to the punishment.
JANUARY 31, 2013PhilippinesDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: ‘BLOOD MONEY’ RESCUES DOOMED FILIPINO FROM EXECUTION
An overseas Filipino worker who has languished on death row in Saudi Arabia for more than a
JANUARY 30, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 2 MURDERERS EXECUTED
Saudi Arabia executed two of its nationals after they were sentenced to death for separate murders, the Interior Ministry announced.
- JANUARY 29, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its nationals in Al Jawf Province. Musaed Al Ruweili
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its nationals in Al Jawf Province. Musaed Al Ruweili
- JANUARY 24, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A state-run Iranian news agency reported that the amputation sentence of a prisoner
A state-run Iranian news agency reported that the amputation sentence of a prisoner
- JANUARY 23, 2013AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded an Afghan man convicted of drug trafficking, the Interior Ministry announced.
Saudi Arabia beheaded an Afghan man convicted of drug trafficking, the Interior Ministry announced.
- JANUARY 23, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: 1,200 DEATH ROW INMATES SENT TO FIGHT IN SYRIA
A leaked internal memo shows how Saudi officials commuted 1,200 death row inmates
- JANUARY 23, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MAN PARDONED AFTER 18 YRS ON DEATH ROW
A man who spent 18 years on the death row in Saudi Arabia for murdering a friend has finally been
- JANUARY 18, 2013Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
The mother of a Sri Lankan maid beheaded in Saudi Arabia for murder has rejected offers of cash from
The mother of a Sri Lankan maid beheaded in Saudi Arabia for murder has rejected offers of cash from
- JANUARY 16, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Arshad Mohammed, a Pakistani man, was beheaded in Khubar Province after he was convicted
Arshad Mohammed, a Pakistani man, was beheaded in Khubar Province after he was convicted
- JANUARY 13, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Eid al-Dhafiri was beheaded in Hafr al-Baten for murder.
Eid al-Dhafiri was beheaded in Hafr al-Baten for murder.
- JANUARY 13, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MORE THAN 45 FOREIGN MAIDS ON DEATH ROW
More than 45 foreign maids are on death row in Saudi Arabia, amid growing global outrage over the treatment of migrant workers, UK's The Observer newspaper reported.
- JANUARY 10, 2013Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka recalled its envoy to Saudi Arabia...
Sri Lanka recalled its envoy to Saudi Arabia...
- JANUARY 10, 2013Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Sri Lanka recalled its envoy to Saudi Arabia after the execution
Sri Lanka recalled its envoy to Saudi Arabia after the execution
JANUARY 9, 2013Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SRI LANKAN MAID RIZANA NAFEEK EXECUTED
Saudi Arabia has executed a Sri Lankan domestic worker for killing a baby in her care in 2005, a foreign ministry official in Colombo has told the BBC.