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
- JUNE 19, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
In the southern Najran province, saudi authorities executed Muree bin Ali Al Asiri, who
In the southern Najran province, saudi authorities executed Muree bin Ali Al Asiri, who
JUNE 19, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: FOUR BEHEADED IN THE SAME DAY
Saudi authorities executed two Egyptians who kidnapped a nine-year-old girl and tortured
- JUNE 12, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi authorities beheaded two of its nationals and a Syrian
Saudi authorities beheaded two of its nationals and a Syrian
JUNE 11, 2012IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TEHRAN PROTESTS AT RIYADH FOR EXECUTION OF IRANIAN NATIONALS
the Iranian foreign ministry summoned Saudi Charge D'Affaires Hassan Zaid in the absence
- JUNE 10, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
a Saudi man was beheaded by the sword in the southwestern city of Jizan
a Saudi man was beheaded by the sword in the southwestern city of Jizan
- JUNE 7, 2012PakistanDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani man convicted of drug trafficking, the second execution
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani man convicted of drug trafficking, the second execution
- JUNE 7, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO MEN EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING, MURDER
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani man convicted of drug trafficking, the second execution in
- JUNE 6, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Saudi man was beheaded in Saudi Arabia after he was found guilty of murdering a
A Saudi man was beheaded in Saudi Arabia after he was found guilty of murdering a
- MAY 30, 2012IranDEATH PENALTY
the Persian-language Tabnak news website reported that...
the Persian-language Tabnak news website reported that...
- MAY 29, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its citizens in the western province of Taef
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its citizens in the western province of Taef
- MAY 20, 2012PakistanDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO PAKISTANIS BEHEADED FOR MURDERS
Saudi authorities beheaded two Pakistanis in Makkah finding them guilty of two murders, the interior ministry said.
- MAY 17, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi authorities beheaded a man for murdering one Bangladeshi man
Saudi authorities beheaded a man for murdering one Bangladeshi man
- MAY 15, 2012YemenDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Yemeni national,
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Yemeni national,
- MAY 7, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its citizens accused of killing his wife
Saudi Arabia beheaded one of its citizens accused of killing his wife
- MAY 5, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: KILLER PARDONED MOMENTS BEFORE EXECUTION
emirates247.com website published that a Saudi killer, who was to be beheaded, was saved
MAY 4, 2012IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: INDONESIANS ON DEATH ROW GIVEN 3 MONTHS TO SEEK FORGIVENESS FROM VICTIMS FAMILY
The Saudi Arabia government has given three extra months to four Indonesian workers facing
- MAY 1, 2012BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO BANGLADESHIS BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Two Bangladeshi men convicted of murder were beheaded in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom's Interior
- APRIL 26, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia beheaded a man for murder in the kingdom's southeastern region of Asir, the
- APRIL 20, 2012SudanDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SUDANESE MAN BEHEADED AND CRUCIFIED
A Sudanese man was the twentieth person this year to be executed in the Kingdom
APRIL 19, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SRI LANKAN WOMAN FACES BEHEADING ON WITCHCRAFT CHARGE
A Sri Lankan woman could face the death penalty by beheading in Saudi Arabia after she
- APRIL 18, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Press TV reported that Saudi officials had executed eight Iranian,,,
Press TV reported that Saudi officials had executed eight Iranian...
APRIL 18, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYIRAN THANKS SAUDIS FOR SPARING CITIZENS ON DEATH ROW
Iran welcomed Saudi Arabia suspending death sentences against several of its nationals convicted
APRIL 9, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO BROTHERS BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Two brothers sentenced to death for murdering a fellow Saudi were decapitated by the sword in
APRIL 9, 2012PhilippinesDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: OFW IN DEATH ROW FINALLY FREED
A Filipino overseas contract worker who has been facing execution in a jail in Saudi
APRIL 6, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA FREES 22 INDONESIAN MAIDS ON DEATH ROW
twenty two Indonesian maids on death row in Saudi Arabia were exonerated and returned
- APRIL 4, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded a man found guilty of shooting dead a fellow Saudi
Saudi Arabia beheaded a man found guilty of shooting dead a fellow Saudi
- APRIL 4, 2012PakistanDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A Pakistani man has been executed in Saudi Arabia after being found guilty of drug trafficking.
- MARCH 27, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: RELIGIOUS POLICE GIVEN MORE POWERS TO STEP UP WAR ON SORCERY
Saudi Arabia has decided to bolster its religious police unit specialized in arresting magicians within
- MARCH 16, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed an Egyptian convicted of murdering a citizen of the kingdom
Saudi Arabia executed an Egyptian convicted of murdering a citizen of the kingdom
- MARCH 14, 2012Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA EXECUTES MAN WHO STRANGLED MOTHER
Saudi Arabia executed a man convicted of strangling his mother to death, the interior ministry announced in a statement.