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
MAY 10, 2006Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. TWO INDIANS TO BE BEHEADED
an Islamic court in Saudi Arabia has awarded capital punishment to two Indians for smuggling narcotics into the kingdom about two-and-a-half years ago, reports reaching from Damam said.
- APRIL 2, 2006Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. THREE SRI LANKANS FACE EXECUTION FOR ROBBERY
three Sri Lankan nationals were reported to be at risk of imminent execution. Their cases had been referred to Saudi Arabia’s Head of State, King Abdullah Bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Al-Saud, to decide whether to grant clemency or to ratify their sentences, a report
FEBRUARY 7, 2006Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. MAN BEHEADED FOR MURDERING RELATIVE
a Saudi national was beheaded by the sword after being convicted of murdering a relative, the interior ministry said in a statement.
- JANUARY 31, 2006Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH URGES SAUDI ARABIA TO FOLLOW UN CALL AND END JUVENILE DEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia must publicly commit to ending the execution of juvenile offenders, as the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child recommended on January 27, Human Rights Watch said.
- JANUARY 1, 2006Saudi 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, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER, 86TH EXECUTION IN 2005
Saudi Arabia executed a Saudi man convicted of murder, raising to at least 86 the number of people put to death in the kingdom this year.
- DECEMBER 27, 2005SudanDEATH PENALTY
Mohammed Nur Ali, a Sudanese man found
Mohammed Nur Ali, a Sudanese man found
- DECEMBER 20, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. THREE SAUDI NATIONALS BEHEADED FOR MURDER
three Saudis were beheaded by the sword after being convicted of murder in separate incidents, the interior ministry said.
- DECEMBER 18, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Saudi national Hazaa bin Abdul Aziz bin Faraaj al-Dousari was beheaded by the sword after being convicted of shooting dead a compatriot, the interior ministry announced.
DECEMBER 18, 2005JordanDEATH PENALTYJORDAN. ZARQAWI GETS THIRD DEATH SENTENCE IN ABSENTIA
Jordan's state security court handed al-Qaeda leader in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi his third death sentence in absentia for planning a failed suicide attack at the border post with Iraq.
DECEMBER 7, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. TWO MEN PUBLICLY BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed two men who were convicted of stabbing their victims to death in separate incidents.
- DECEMBER 2, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Ahmed ben Mohamed al-Chater, a Saudi Arabian convicted of murder, was decapitated
NOVEMBER 30, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDERING WIFE
Saudi national Hadi Bin-Umayr Bin-Muhammad al-Manjahi was executed in Al-Qahmah, in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region, after being found guilty of shooting dead his Saudi wife Zaynah Bint-Yahya Bin-Abdallah Bin-Mashari following an argument.
- NOVEMBER 28, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. TWO MEN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed two men who were convicted of murder, bringing to six the number of people put to death in the conservative Muslim kingdom in the last week.
- NOVEMBER 25, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN BEHEADED FOR MURDERING COMPATRIOT
Saudi authorities executed Saudi national Ahmad Bin-Muhammad Bin-Abdallah al-Shamrani following his conviction for murdering compatriot Badr Bin-Muq'ad al-Shibani.
- NOVEMBER 23, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER, THIRD BEHEADING IN THREE DAYS
Saudi Arabia executed a Saudi man for murder, the third execution in three days in the conservative Muslim kingdom.
- NOVEMBER 22, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDERING COMPATRIOT
Ahmad bin Ojab bin Faisal Al-Muhaidli Al-Otaibi was executed in Riyadh after he was convicted of shooting dead a compatriot following an argument, the interior ministry announced.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2005YemenDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. YEMENI PUBLICLY BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Mohammed bin Ali al-Kahali, a Yemeni, was beheaded in the southern city of Najran in Saudi Arabia after he was convicted of murdering compatriot Saleh bin Ahmed al-Kahali with a cleaver.
- NOVEMBER 16, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN SHOT DEAD AFTER BROTHER'S KILLER PARDONED
a Saudi man, enraged by a last-minute pardon granted to his brother's killer, was shot dead as he tried to attack the condemned man, Saudi newspapers said.
- NOVEMBER 10, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed Saudi national Saeed al-Qahtani in the southern town of Khamis Mushayt.
NOVEMBER 9, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYUSA. NO DEATH PENALTY IN NEW GUANTANAMO CASES
the Pentagon said the United States would not seek the death penalty against any of the five Guantanamo Bay prisoners it had announced charges against on November 7.
- OCTOBER 27, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. 14-YEAR-OLD BOY FACES EXECUTION
a 14-year-old Egyptian boy faces execution in Saudi Arabia after a flawed trial in which he was convicted for the murder of another child, Human Rights Watch said.
- OCTOBER 25, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that prescribes the death sentence
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that prescribes the death sentence
- OCTOBER 3, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. SAUDI SETS UP HUMAN RIGHTS WATCHDOG
Saudi Arabia has set up the first government department for monitoring and boosting human rights in the kingdom, a Saudi official statement said.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: DEATH SENTENCE NO LONGER MANDATORY FOR DRUG SMUGGLERS
Saudi Arabia redefined its drug trafficking laws, giving discretionary powers to judges and allowing them to hand down jail sentences instead of awarding the death penalty, the Jeddah-based Saudi Gazette reported.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. SAUDI EXECUTED FOR HOMICIDE
saudi authorities executed a Saudi national for killing a compatriot by shooting him after running over him with his car.
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. MAN EXECUTED FOR PREMEDITATED KILLING
Saudi authorities executed a Saudi national for killing a man by running over him with his car.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. TWO MEN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Saudi Arabia executed two Saudi men convicted in separate cases of murder, the country’s Interior Ministry said.
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2005YemenDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. YEMENI, SAUDI EXECUTED FOR RAPE, KIDNAPPING AND THEFT
a Yemeni and a Saudi national were beheaded by the sword in Riyadh after being convicted of kidnapping and raping a woman and stealing her money and jewelry, the Saudi interior ministry said.
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2005Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA. TWO SAUDIS EXECUTED FOR MURDER
two Saudis convicted of murder were beheaded by the sword in the conservative Muslim kingdom, the interior ministry announced.