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
- AUGUST 3, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded two Pakistanis and a Nigerian for drug smuggling.
Saudi Arabia beheaded two Pakistanis and a Nigerian for drug smuggling.
- AUGUST 3, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia beheaded three Pakistanis for armed
Saudi Arabia beheaded three Pakistanis for armed
- AUGUST 1, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIAN MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia beheaded by the sword a man convicted of murder, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency.
- JULY 27, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI NATIONAL CONVICTED OF MURDER EXECUTED IN AL-JAWF
the official Saudi Press Agency carried a Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry statement saying that the Court of Cassation upheld the death sentence against Saudi national Abdallah Bin-Muhammad Bin-Durzi al-Daghmi.
- JULY 24, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI EXECUTED FOR MURDER
a Saudi convicted of murder was beheaded by the sword..
JULY 22, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SRI LANKAN MAID WINS REPRIEVE FROM DEATH PENALTY
lawyers of Rizana Nafeek, a 19 year old migrant worker from Sri Lanka,
- JULY 21, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI CITIZEN EXECUTED IN MECCA FOR MURDER
the Saudi Arabian Press Agency announced that the Shari'ah Court convicted...
- JULY 19, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: MAN BEHEADED FOR KNIFE MURDER
a man identified as Dahyan-al-Subaiei was beheaded in the holy city of Taif, east of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for murdering another with a knife
- JULY 18, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI EXECUTED IN MEDINA FOR MURDER - INTERIOR MINISTRY
the Saudi Arabian news agency SPA carried a Saudi Interior Ministry statement saying that the Shari'ah Court convicted Saudi national Muhammad Bin-Hamdan Bin-Mu'aytiq al-Sahli of the crime of murdering fellow Saudi national Awwad Bin-Uwayd al-Sahli al-Har
- JULY 17, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI POLICEMAN CONVICTED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT BEHEADED
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded Khaled al-Juhani, a Saudi policeman convicted of sexual assault in Medina, according to an Interior Ministry statement.
- JULY 17, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: NIGERIAN EXECUTED IN JEDDA FOR SMUGGLING COCAINE
the Saudi Arabian news agency SPA website carried a Saudi Interior Ministry statement saying that the Court of Cassation has upheld the death sentence against Saghiru Kayudi Ijbaji, a Nigerian national who was convicted of the crime of smuggling cocaine i
JULY 16, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. GROUP SEEKS 400 PARDONS
Saudi Arabia's Higher Committee for Reconciliation is seeking pardons for 400 death
JULY 14, 2007PakistanDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. PAKISTANI CONVICTED OF MURDER EXECUTED
the official Saudi PressAgency carried a Saudi Interior Ministry statement announcing
- JULY 12, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SAUDI ARABIA
Sheik Mastaan, alias Mohammed Salim, was sentenced to death by the Sharia court of Dammam in Saudi Arabia for allegedly transporting narcotic drugs.
- JULY 11, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Safun Muhammed Ali Ahmed al Zahifi, a Yemen national...
Safun Muhammed Ali Ahmed al Zahifi, a Yemen national...
- JULY 10, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
a Saudi boy, Moeid bin Hussein Hakami, 16, was beheaded
a Saudi boy, Moeid bin Hussein Hakami, 16, was beheaded
- JULY 2, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
UNIDENTIFIED MAN FROM PHILIPPINES SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SAUDI ARABIA
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said that an unidentified man from the Philippines was sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia.
- JULY 2, 2007PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
EXECUTION AWAITS 2 PHILIPPINE WOMEN IN SAUDI ARABIA
two Philippine women, whose identities were withheld...
- JUNE 28, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI MAN BEHEADED FOR MURDER
in Saudi Arabia, Saudi national Al-Hamidi bin Ghafi bin Dhawi Al-Ghamdi...
- JUNE 27, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
two Indians, Mandeem Fali e Mansheen Yedi
two Indians, Mandeem Fali e Mansheen Yedi
JUNE 27, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI EXECUTES NATIONAL FOR RAPE, DRUG, ALCOHOL CRIMES
the official Saudi Arabian Press website carried a Saudi Interior
- JUNE 26, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER EXECUTED IN NAJRAN REGION
the official Saudi Arabian Press Agency website carried a Saudi Interior Ministry statement saying that the
- JUNE 24, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER
a Saudi Arabian man was beheaded by the sword after being convicted of shooting dead a member of his own tribe...
- JUNE 23, 2007NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International reported that a Nigerian national was sentenced...
Amnesty International reported that a Nigerian national was sentenced...
- JUNE 23, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International reported that Ahmad al Bahrani...
Amnesty International reported that Ahmad al Bahrani...
- JUNE 20, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SRI LANKAN MAID SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF INFANT
a Sri Lankan housemaid, who murdered a four-month-old infant two years ago, was sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia by a court in Dawadmi, 242 km from Riyadh.
- JUNE 19, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS SAUDI CONVICTED OF MURDER
a Saudi Arabian man convicted of fatally shooting another Saudi over a dispute was beheaded...
- JUNE 18, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS SUDANESE MAN FOR MURDER
a Sudanese man was beheaded in Saudi Arabia for murdering a compatriot...
- JUNE 15, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
THREE FOREIGNERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SAUDI ARABIA
media reported that two Sri Lankans and an Indian were convicted...
- JUNE 13, 2007PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
FILIPINO, YEMENI NATIONAL BEHEADED IN SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded a Filipino and a Yemeni national convicted of murdering a Pakistani and a Saudi man, the Interior Ministry said.