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
APRIL 18, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. TWO SOLDIERS PUBLICLY EXECUTED FOR RAPE
authorities in Riyadh executed Abdul Rahman ibn Saeed Al-Zahrani and Abdul
- APRIL 17, 2008BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: DHAKA SEEKS CLEMENCY FOR 8 CITIZENS ON DEATH ROW IN S ARABIA
Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed sought amnesty from Saudi Arabia for eight Bangladeshis sentenced to death on a murder charge, foreign ministry and Bangabhaban presidential palace officials said.
APRIL 17, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA EXECUTES JORDANIAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry says a Jordanian man was beheaded after
- APRIL 16, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH SEEKS FUNDS TO SAVE CONVICTS ON SAUDI DEATH ROW
Bangladesh's government is seeking funds to pay "blood money" to secure the release of eight workers now on death row in Saudi Arabia over the murder of an Egyptian worker, officials
- APRIL 15, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
The Saudi Interior Ministry says a Saudi man has been beheaded after being
- APRIL 13, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
two Nigerians convicted of drug trafficking were beheaded by the sword in Saudi
two Nigerians convicted of drug trafficking were beheaded by the sword in Saudi
- APRIL 12, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
a Turkish barber accused of swearing at God was sentenced to death in Saudi
a Turkish barber accused of swearing at God was sentenced to death in Saudi
- APRIL 11, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry announced that authorities beheaded a Saudi
the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry announced that authorities beheaded a Saudi
- APRIL 10, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. PAKISTANI BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Moazzam Khan, a Pakistan national who was convicted in a drug trafficking case
- APRIL 10, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
a Saudi found guilty of murder was beheaded by the sword in Saudi Arabia, the
a Saudi found guilty of murder was beheaded by the sword in Saudi Arabia, the
- APRIL 8, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. PAKISTANI MAN BEHEADED FOR BEATING COMPATRIOT TO DEATH
the official Saudi Press Agency said authorities beheaded a Pakistani man convicted of beating a fellow citizen to death.
- MARCH 31, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI COURT MEETS IN SECRET OVER CANADIAN SLATED FOR BEHEADING
a Saudi court threatened the lawyer of a Canadian man who is facing a public beheading after the advocate submitted a bid to appeal the death sentence.
- MARCH 27, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI EXECUTED FOR MURDERING COMPATRIOT
a Saudi man was beheaded by the sword after he was convicted of murdering a
MARCH 26, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYYEMENI BEHEADED IN SAUDI ARABIA FOR MURDER
a Yemeni national was beheaded by the sword in Saudi Arabia after being
MARCH 25, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA HARSHLY CRITICISED FOR EXECUTING 15YO BOY
the international Human Rights Watch organisation harshly criticised Saudi
- MARCH 23, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. CITIZEN BEHEADED FOR FATAL SHOOTING
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a Saudi man convicted of a fatal shooting
- MARCH 16, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. CITIZEN BEHEADED FOR KILLING COMPATRIOT
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a man convicted of fatally shooting a
MARCH 14, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI CLERIC WANTS DEATH SENTENCE FOR WRITERS
Saudi Arabia's most revered cleric said in a rare fatwa that two writers should
- MARCH 11, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. SAUDI CITIZEN BEHEADED FOR KILLING COMPATRIOT
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a citizen who was convicted of fatally
- MARCH 9, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. SAUDI MAN BEHEADED FOR MURDER
a Saudi Arabian national who stabbed another man to death in an argument was
- MARCH 5, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a Yemeni man convicted of fatally stabbing a
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a Yemeni man convicted of fatally stabbing a
- MARCH 3, 2008CanadaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. CANADIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH
Mohamed Kohail, a Canadian citizen jailed in Saudi Arabia on murder charges
- FEBRUARY 27, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Muslit Bin Sultan was beheaded in public...
Muslit Bin Sultan was beheaded in public...
- FEBRUARY 26, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. CITIZEN BEHEADED FOR FATAL SHOOTING
Saudi Arabia beheaded a citizen convicted of fatally shooting another Saudi
- FEBRUARY 26, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Ahmed al Bahrani, sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for murder...
Ahmed al Bahrani, sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for murder...
- FEBRUARY 19, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. SAUDI EXECUTED FOR MURDER AND ARMED ROBBERY
a Saudi man, Rashed bin Rafia, was beheaded by the sword in the
- FEBRUARY 18, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN BEHEADED AFTER BEATING HIS MOTHER TO DEATH
a Saudi man convicted of killing his mother after beating her to death
- FEBRUARY 14, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. HALT WOMAN'S EXECUTION FOR 'WITCHCRAFT'
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia should halt the execution of Fawza Falih and void her conviction for "witchcraft," Human Rights Watch said.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
in Saudi Arabia, the execution of Fawza Falih...
in Saudi Arabia, the execution of Fawza Falih...
- FEBRUARY 13, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. CITIZEN BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Saudi authorities beheaded a citizen convicted of killing a compatriot