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
MARCH 25, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. POLICEMAN EXECUTED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS
A child molester, Turki Al-Tuwairgi, who took advantage of being a uniformed security officer was
MARCH 19, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed a convicted murderer in Riyadh. Salem bin Jumaian bin Khalif al-Shummari stabbed
- MARCH 15, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA STUDENT SPARED EXECUTION IN FRIEND’S KILLING
a 28 year old student in Saudi Arabia was spared the death sentence after the victim’s family forgave him.
MARCH 9, 2007PakistanDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. TWO PAKISTANIS BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Mohammad Sadiq Chirag Deen, a male Pakistani, and Mjedan bibi Mohammad Sherif, a female Pakistani,
- MARCH 3, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed a man convicted of murder. Miftah bin Hilal al-Fahmi was executed in the province
- FEBRUARY 23, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. NIGERIAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
Saudi Arabia executed a convicted Nigerian cocaine smuggler, the second Nigerian drug trafficker to be put
- FEBRUARY 22, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI BEHEADED FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING CHILD
a Saudi man was beheaded by the sword in the western province of Taef after being convicted of sexually assaulting a young boy while drunk.
FEBRUARY 22, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYACTIVISTS BLAST SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADINGS
Human Rights Watch said Saudi Arabia violated international law when it beheaded four Sri Lankan
- FEBRUARY 21, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA ORDERS PUBLIC DISPLAY OF EXECUTED FOREIGNERS
a Saudi court ordered the bodies of four Sri Lankans to be displayed in a public square after being
- FEBRUARY 19, 2007Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. 4 SRI LANKANS EXECUTED FOR ARMED ROBBERY
Saudi Arabia executed four Sri Lankans for a series of violent robberies in the conservative kingdom. A
- FEBRUARY 18, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
DEATH VERDICT FOR JOY RIDER
a death sentence was issued to a joy rider for killing three young boys and injuring two others during a car stunt.
- FEBRUARY 18, 2007NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. NIGERIAN BEHEADED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a Nigerian man was executed by sword in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The man, identified as Omar, was
- FEBRUARY 15, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. SAUDI MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed a Saudi man for stabbing and clubbing another Saudi to death. A statement on the
- FEBRUARY 8, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA BEHEADS CITIZEN CONVICTED OF MACHINE GUN MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed Mohammed Bin Abdullah al-Shahrani, the state-run news agency said.
- FEBRUARY 7, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. TWO IRAQIS EXECUTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
the Saudi Arabian authorities beheaded two Iraqi men, Jabbar Karim Saeed Abu Alya and Ali Hamza
- JANUARY 31, 2007PakistanDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed a Pakistani man for drug smuggling, local media reported.
Saudi Arabia executed a Pakistani man for drug smuggling, local media reported.
- JANUARY 31, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi nationals Salama Al Khelwi and Samir Al Mutairi were put to death in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, for a
Saudi nationals Salama Al Khelwi and Samir Al Mutairi were put to death in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, for a
- JANUARY 29, 2007IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SAUDI ARABIA FOR MURDER
Metro TV station reported that an Indonesian convict, identified as Zaenal...
- JANUARY 29, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA EXECUTES WOMAN FOR MURDER
a Saudi Ministry statement published by the official news agency SPA stated a Saudi woman, identified as Hala bint Marzouk al-Outaibi, was executed for murder.
- JANUARY 26, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
the Saudi daily al-Riyadh, announced that a man...
the Saudi daily al-Riyadh, announced that a man...
- JANUARY 25, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
TWO HAVE DEATH PENALTIES COMMUTED IN SAUDI ARABIA
the governor of Mecca Province, Prince Makkah Abdelmageed bin Abdelaziz, who heads a committee for securing forgiveness for convicted murderers, helped spare two lives from death by the sword. The men were involved in two separate killings.
- JANUARY 17, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed two pakistani men for possessing, selling and smuggling drugs, the interior ministry said.
Saudi Arabia executed two pakistani men for possessing, selling and smuggling drugs, the interior ministry said.
- JANUARY 17, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed a national, Ali bin Mohammed bin Heilan Al Harbi,
Saudi Arabia executed a national, Ali bin Mohammed bin Heilan Al Harbi,
- JANUARY 16, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia executed a Saudi man for shooting
Saudi Arabia executed a Saudi man for shooting and killing a fellow citizen,
- JANUARY 14, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA'S FIRST BEHEADING IN 2007
Saudi Arabia beheaded a Saudi man for murdering another Saudi national after an argument, in the first execution reported in the kingdom in 2007, the Saudi Interior Ministry said.
- JANUARY 1, 2007Saudi 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 26, 2006SyriaDEATH PENALTY
IRAQ HANDS DEATH SENTENCE TO THREE 'FOREIGN FIGHTERS'
an Iraqi court sentenced a Saudi, a Syrian and a Sudanese to death after finding them guilty of Al-Qaeda related terrorist offences, the US-led coalition in Iraq said.
- DECEMBER 20, 2006Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. INDIAN NATIONAL SPARED DEATH SENTENCE
an Indian national from Kerala, who was reportedly facing death sentence in Saudi Arabia, was set free due to the timely intervention of the Indian authorities.
- DECEMBER 16, 2006PakistanDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA EXECUTES PAKISTANI FOR DRUG PEDDLING
Nur-eddin Ghulam Suroor
- DECEMBER 12, 2006Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA EXECUTES SAUDI MAN FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed Misfir al-Qahtani in Riyadh for the murder of Mukhallad al-Muteiri...