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
FEBRUARY 16, 2023Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TWO SHIITE CITIZENS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Two Shiite citizens were sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia on 7 February 2023 for allegedly collaborating with terrorist groups.
FEBRUARY 2, 2023Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: DEATH PENALTY USE HAS ALMOST DOUBLED UNDER RULE OF MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN
The use of the death penalty under the rule of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his father, King Salman, has almost doubled annually since they rose to power, according to a new report seen by ABC News.
JANUARY 15, 2023Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PROSECUTORS SEEK DEATH PENALTY FOR ACADEMIC OVER SOCIAL MEDIA USE
A prominent law professor in Saudi Arabia is facing the death penalty for alleged crimes including having a Twitter account and using WhatsApp to share news considered “hostile” to the kingdom, according to court documents seen by the Guardian.
DECEMBER 6, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SIX MORE POLITICAL DISSIDENTS SENTENCED TO DEATH
A human rights organization says the Saudi judiciary has sentenced six more prisoners of conscience to death, Press TV’s website reported on 5 December 2022.
NOVEMBER 23, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 17 EXECUTED FOR DRUG-RELATED OFFENCES
Since 10 November 2022, Saudi Arabia has executed 17 men for what were termed drug and contraband offences, with three taking place on 21 November.
NOVEMBER 21, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SMUGGLING DRUGS
A Saudi national has been sentenced to death for smuggling banned amphetamine tablets near the country’s northern border with Jordan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on 20 November 2022 citing the Ministry of Interior.
OCTOBER 11, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: YOUNG MEN FACE IMMINENT EXECUTION DESPITE ASSURANCES ON RE-SENTENCING JUVENILES TO PRISON TERMS
At least three young men in Saudi Arabia are at imminent risk of execution after an appeal court confirmed their sentences between June and October this year, Amnesty International said on 10 October 2022.
OCTOBER 10, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TRIBESMEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RESISTING DISPLACEMENT
A Saudi court on 2 October 2022 sentenced three members of the Howeitat, a tribe forcibly ejected to make way for the $500 bn Neom megacity, to death for resisting displacement, a UK-based rights group has reported.
OCTOBER 3, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MAID EXECUTED FOR STABBING A SLEEPING GIRL TO DEATH
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 2 October 2022 executed an African maid who was convicted of murdering a child.
- JUNE 27, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA FREES YOUNGEST PRISONER WHO FACED EXECUTION
Saudi authorities have released Murtaja Qureiris, who was once considered to be the kingdom's youngest political prisoner, a human rights group confirmed on 24 June 2022.
- JUNE 15, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MAN CONVICTED AS MINOR
A Saudi court has upheld a death sentence against teenager Abdullah al-Huwaiti, who was convicted for crimes reportedly committed when he was a minor.
APRIL 3, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: EGYPTIAN EXPAT EXECUTED OVER KIDNAPPING AND RAPING CHILD
The Saudi Ministry of Interior on 28 March 2022 announced in a statement the execution of an Egyptian expatriate who was sentenced to death over luring two children, kidnapping a female child, torturing and raping her.
MARCH 24, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MAN EXECUTED FOR KILLING WIFE, 4 KIDS
Saudi authorities on 23 March 2022 executed a Yemeni man convicted of murdering his wife and four children in the family’s house.
MARCH 21, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MAN EXECUTED FOR SLITTING THROATS OF 3 DAUGHTERS
A Saudi man, convicted of slaying three of his daughters, was executed on 16 March 2022 after he was handed down a final death verdict, Saudi media reported, citing the Interior Ministry.
- MARCH 20, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: AUTHORITIES PUT FOUR PEOPLE TO DEATH
Saudi Arabia on 17 March 2022 executed four men - two Saudis, two Indonesians - after being found guilty of committing murder and rape, state news agency (SPA) reported.
- MARCH 14, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: 81 MEN EXECUTED IN ONE DAY, THE BIGGEST MASS EXECUTION IN DECADES
Saudi Arabia executed 81 men on 12 March 2022, including seven Yemenis and one Syrian, for terrorism and other offenses including holding “deviant beliefs,” authorities said, in the biggest mass execution in decades.
MARCH 3, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: COMMUTED DEATH SENTENCE FOR MAN CONVICTED AS MINOR REINSTATED
A Saudi man sentenced to death for crimes reportedly committed when he was a minor, only to see the judgement overturned last year, had his death sentence reinstated on 2 March 2022, according to his family.
FEBRUARY 17, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: JORDANIAN EXECUTED FOR MURDERING MAN
Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry has announced the execution of Jordanian expatriate man for strangling to death a Saudi man in Jazan, southwest of the Kingdom.
- FEBRUARY 7, 2022Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA RELEASES SHIA MINOR AFTER COMMUTING HIS DEATH SENTENCE
Saudi Arabia on 2 February 2022 freed Dawoud Al-Marhoon who had previously been sentenced to death for protesting while he was a minor.
- DECEMBER 27, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: IS-LINKED MAN EXECUTED FOR SUICIDE ATTACK PLOT
Saudi Arabia on 27 December 2021 executed a Yemeni man accused of plotting a suicide attack in the kingdom and of links to the Islamic State jihadist group, the interior ministry said.
- DECEMBER 5, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: PAKISTANI, EGYPTIAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi authorities on 2 December 2021 executed two expatriates – a Pakistani and an Egyptian—convicted of fatally stabbing two compatriots in two different cases, the Interior Ministry said.
- NOVEMBER 16, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA RELEASES SECOND MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR CHILDHOOD 'CRIMES'
Saudi authorities have released Adbullah al-Zaher, a young man who had been sentenced to death for "crimes" he allegedly committed as a child, human rights activists announced on 14 November 2021.
- NOVEMBER 15, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI MAN EXECUTED FOR BURNING WIFE TO DEATH
Saudi authorities on 11 November 2021 executed a citizen after he was convicted of brutally beating and burning his wife to death.
- NOVEMBER 14, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI COURT OVERTURNS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MAN CONVICTED AS MINOR; RETRIAL TO FOLLOW
A Saudi court overturned a conviction on a death penalty charge for a young man following what rights groups called a "grossly unfair trial" for crimes committed when he was a minor, his family said on 10 November 2021.
NOVEMBER 3, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MAN EXECUTED FOR ATTEMPT TO KILL SECURITY FORCES
Saudi Arabia on 1st November 2021 executed a man convicted of trying to shoot dead security forces and weapons charges, with alleged links to figures accused of terrorist activities, state media reported.
OCTOBER 28, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: ALI AL-NIMR RELEASED FROM PRISON AFTER NEARLY A DECADE
A young Saudi man was released from prison on 27 October 2021 after spending nearly a decade behind bars in a case that drew international scrutiny because until recently he’d been facing a possible death sentence for protest-related crimes committed as a
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: ISIS MEMBER EXECUTED IN JAZAN
The Saudi Interior Ministry announced on 29 July 2021 that it had carried out the death penalty against a member of the ISIS terror group in Jazan city.
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: EGYPTIAN EXECUTED FOR KILLING WOMAN, BURNING HER BODY
An Egyptian man was executed on 15 September 2021 in Saudi Arabia for killing a woman and burning her body in Medina.
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI MAN EXECUTED OVER TERRORISM CHARGES
A Saudi man was executed in Dammam on 6 September 2021 on charges of terrorism and weapons smuggling, the interior ministry said.
- JULY 6, 2021Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
US INSTITUTE REPORTS FORMER SAUDI COMMANDER IN YEMEN SENTENCED TO DEATH
Saudi Arabia's former commander in charge of the coalition war in Yemen has been sentenced to death following a military trial, according to a 27 June 2021 report by the Washington DC-based Institute for Gulf Affairs.