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
FEBRUARY 7, 2008BangladeshDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. 8 BANGLADESHIS ON DEATH ROW
the relatives of eight expatriate Bangladeshi workers sentenced to death by a
- FEBRUARY 6, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Khaled bin Atyan bin Maafa al-Daadaiwas was beheaded in public...
Khaled bin Atyan bin Maafa al-Daadaiwas was beheaded in public...
FEBRUARY 5, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS CITIZEN CONVICTED OF MURDER
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a Saudi man convicted of killing a fellow
- FEBRUARY 4, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded an Indian...
Saudi Arabia beheaded an Indian...
- FEBRUARY 4, 2008IraqDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. THREE FOREIGNERS BEHEADED
Saudi Arabia beheaded an Indian, an Iraqi and a Pakistani after they were
- JANUARY 30, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. TWO MEN BEHEADED FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING BOY
Saudi Arabia beheaded two men convicted of sexually assaulting a young boy
- JANUARY 29, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. NIGERIAN WOMAN AND PAKISTANI BEHEADED
a Nigerian woman and a Pakistani man were executed in the Muslim holy city of
- JANUARY 26, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
an Indian and two Sri Lankans were sentenced to death by a court in Saudi Arabia
an Indian and two Sri Lankans were sentenced to death by a court in Saudi Arabia
- JANUARY 23, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Mohsen bin Hayef bin Naeim al-Badiri al-Moteiri...
Mohsen bin Hayef bin Naeim al-Badiri al-Moteiri...
JANUARY 23, 2008Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. THREE BURMESE IMMIGRANTS BEHEADED
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded three Burmese immigrants convicted of armed robbery, the Interior Ministry said.
- JANUARY 22, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Yemeni found guilty of drug trafficking was beheaded by the sword
A Yemeni found guilty of drug trafficking was beheaded by the sword
- JANUARY 22, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Two Saudis convicted of murder were beheaded by the sword
Two Saudis convicted of murder were beheaded by the sword
- JANUARY 20, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. TWO MEN BEHEADED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
Saudi Arabia beheaded by the sword two men convicted of "trafficking large amounts of drugs", the interior ministry announced.
- JANUARY 16, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a couple for murder, the
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a couple for murder, the
- JANUARY 16, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a man for rape, the Interior
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a man for rape, the Interior
- JANUARY 15, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS A RESIDENT CONVICTED OF KILLING HIS MOTHER
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a foreign resident convicted
- JANUARY 14, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS MAN FOR MURDER
a Saudi man convicted of murder was beheaded by the sword
- JANUARY 13, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: JEDDAH COURT REOPENS CASE OF ABU KAB
the Jeddah Court in Saudi Arabia reopened the case of Faisal Al-Otaibi (Abu Kab), the joy rider who was convicted of killing three children in his car as he was performing a driving stunt.
- JANUARY 12, 2008IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SAUDIS BEHEAD INDONESIAN MAID
Saudi authorities beheaded an Indonesian maid, Yanti Irianti...
- JANUARY 8, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. CONVICTED MURDERER BEHEADED
Saudi Arabia beheaded a convicted murderer, the interior ministry said
- JANUARY 1, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that prescribes the death sentence for murder...
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that prescribes the death sentence for murder, apostasy, rape, drug trafficking, highway robbery, sabotage and armed robbery.
- DECEMBER 31, 2007YemenDEATH PENALTY
according to Amnesty International, a 25 year old youth...
according to Amnesty International, a 25 year old youth...
- DECEMBER 18, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia voted against the Resolution...
Saudi Arabia voted against the Resolution...
- DECEMBER 11, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKA MAID'S "FORCED CONFESSION" MAY STILL BE USED IN DEATH PENALTY APPEAL: AHRC
an Asian human rights body expressed concern that an allegedly coerced confession by a Sri Lankan domestic worker sentenced to death for murder in Saudi Arabia may still be used against her in an appeal of the verdict to a higher court.
- DECEMBER 7, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTANI MAN CONVICTED OF DRUG SMUGGLING EXECUTED IN SAUDI ARABIA
SPA carried a Saudi Interior Ministry statement saying that the Court of Cassation upheld the death sentence against Pakistani national Muhammad Amir Shahzad who was convicted of the crime of smuggling a quantity heroin hidden in his entrails into Saudi A
- DECEMBER 6, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: COURT REPEALS DEATH SENTENCE FOR STUNT-DRIVING SAUDI
the Court of Cassation in Saudi Arabia repealed the death sentence issued by a Jeddah court against Faisal Al-Otaibi (aka “Abu Kab”, or “Father of the baseball cap,”) the joy rider who was convicted of killing three children who were in his car while he w
- DECEMBER 6, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SUPREME COURT COUNCIL UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCES FOR TORTURE
last week the Supreme Court Council in Saudi Arabia upheld the death sentences issued in April by a Makkah judge against the father and stepmother of a nine year old girl, Ghosun, who was repeatedly tortured and later died.
- DECEMBER 1, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Walid bin Hussein bin Majhud al-Shehri was publicly decapitated in Riad, Saudi Arabia...
Walid bin Hussein bin Majhud al-Shehri was publicly decapitated in Riad, Saudi Arabia...
- NOVEMBER 25, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI EXECUTED FOR MURDER IN NAJRAN
a Saudi Arabian man was beheaded by the sword in the southern city of Najran after he was convicted of murdering a compatriot, the interior ministry said.
- NOVEMBER 23, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTANI CONVICTED OF DRUG TRAFFICKING BEHEADED IN SAUDI ARABIA
a Pakistani man was beheaded in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of smuggling heroin into Saudi Arabia.