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 26, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: ONE SENTENCED TO DEATH, SEVEN TO JAIL IN IRAN SPYING CASE
A Saudi citizen was sentenced to death on 24 February 2020, with seven others facing years in jail on charges of treason and espionage on behalf of Iran, state television reported on 25 February.
- FEBRUARY 25, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Arabia sentences 1 to death, 7 to jail in Iran spying case.
SAUDI ARABIA - Saudi Arabia sentences 1 to death, 7 to jail in Iran spying case.
FEBRUARY 19, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SAUDI MAN EXECUTED FOR MURDER
The Ministry of Interior on 4 February 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of a Saudi man, Hamoud bin Muhammad bin Mughram Al Nahid Asiri, in Abha, in the Asir region.
FEBRUARY 18, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: YEMENI WOMAN EXECUTED FOR HER HUSBAND’S MURDER
The Ministry of Interior on 30 January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of a woman named Aisha Ahmed Omar Bahasin - Yemeni nationality.
JANUARY 23, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION OF DRUG SMUGGLER OF AMPHETAMINE PILL IN TABUK
The Ministry of Interior on 14 January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of Muammar Al-Qadhafi Muhammad Omar Al-Qenawy, an Egyptian, in the Tabuk region for smuggling banned amphetamine pills.
- JANUARY 22, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION OF A DRUG TRAFFICKER IN AL-JOUF
The Ministry of Interior on 14 January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of Abdul-Razzaq Hammoud Mahmoud, a Syrian national, in the Al-Jawf region, for smuggling a quantity of banned amphetamine pills.
JANUARY 21, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION OF A SAUDI FOR MURDER IN THE JAZAN REGION
The Ministry of Interior on 14 January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of Suwaid bin Ali bin Ali Bakir Aati - a Saudi national – who killed his wife / Zahraa bint Hamad bin Ali Aati.
JANUARY 19, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION FOR MURDER IN RIYADH
The Ministry of Interior on 9 January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of Fahd bin Faleh bin Khalaf Al-Dossari - a Saudi national - in the city of Riyadh for murder.
JANUARY 17, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SUPREME COURT ORDERS RETRIAL OF EGYPTIAN ENGINEER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has ordered the retrial of Egyptian engineer Ali Abul-Qasim, who has been sentenced to death for smuggling and trafficking drugs in the kingdom, Ahram Online reported on 15 January 2020.
JANUARY 17, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION FOR MURDER IN AL-MAKHWAH GOVERNORATE, AL-BAHA
The Ministry of Interior on 8 January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of Ali bin Attia bin Hazia Al-Ataf Al-Ghamdi - a Saudi national
JANUARY 16, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION OF TWO SMUGGLERS OF AMPHETAMINE PILLS IN TABUK
The Ministry of Interior on 2nd January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of two prisoners for smuggling a quantity of banned amphetamine pills.
- JANUARY 15, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: EXECUTION OF A SAUDI FOR MURDER IN THE JAZAN REGION
The Ministry of Interior on 14 January 2020 issued a statement regarding the execution of Suwaid bin Ali bin Ali Bakir Aati - a Saudi national –
JANUARY 14, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 184 PEOPLE EXECUTED IN 2019
Saudi Arabia executed 184 people in 2019, the most in a calendar year in six years, human rights organisation Reprieve has said, calling it a "grim milestone" for the kingdom.
- JANUARY 1, 2020Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law
Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law
DECEMBER 30, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: RIYADH CONCERT STABBER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Saudi Arabian court on 29 December 2019 sentenced to death a man accused of stabbing three performers at a live show in the capital Riyadh in November, state television said.
DECEMBER 24, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER JAMAL KHASHOGGI'S MURDER
Saudi Arabia's public prosecutor said on 23 December 2019 five people had been sentenced to death over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in October last year.
DECEMBER 4, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SPECIALIZED CRIMINAL COURT HANDS DOWN DEATH SENTENCES TO FIVE SHIA ACTIVISTS FROM QATIF
Saudi Arabia's Specialized Criminal Court has sentenced five anti-regime dissidents from the kingdom’s oil-rich and Shia-populated Eastern Province to death.
NOVEMBER 19, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: DEATH FOR DAESH TERRORIST FOR KILLING SECURITY OFFICIAL
The Specialized Criminal Court in Riyadh sentenced to death a Daesh (so called IS) terrorist, who was convicted of committing several crimes, including killing of a security official, Saudi Gazzette reported on 17 November 2019. The Saudi convict can appe
- OCTOBER 1, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani national executed - Interior Ministry: "Keen on combating narcotics"
1 October 2018: Zahed Al-Rahman Shafie Al-Rahman executed for heroin smuggle
SEPTEMBER 17, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: MORE THAN 130 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EXECUTED SO FAR IN 2019
Saudi Arabia has executed 134 people so far this year, including six who were kids when they were arrested, The Death Penalty Project revealed in a report presented at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
JULY 19, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: PRINCE SAVES DEFENDANT ON DEATH ROW FROM EXECUTION
A member of the Saudi royal family, who is also the governor of the Saudi region of Asir, has garnered many observers’ praise when he intervened to stop the execution of one convict who was sentenced to death on a charge of murder.
JUNE 18, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: TEENAGER ARRESTED AT 13 IS SAVED FROM THE DEATH PENALTY, ACCORDING TO A SOURCE
Murtaja Qureiris, an 18-year-old man who had been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, was saved from execution and sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to a source familiar with the matter.
MAY 2, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: AFTER 10 YEARS IN PRISON, INDONESIA MAIDS ON DEATH ROW FOR WITCHCRAFT RELEASED
Two Indonesian domestic workers sentenced to death for practising witchcraft against their employers' families in Saudi Arabia returned home on 24 April 2019 after their sentences were commuted, Indonesia's Foreign Ministry said.
APRIL 29, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: BODY OF CRUCIFIED 'CRIMINAL' WAS PUT ON PUBLIC DISPLAY FOLLOWING 37 EXECUTIONS
The body of a crucified criminal was put on public display in Saudi Arabia after the execution of 37 nationals in one day, according to local media reports.
APRIL 27, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: 37 EXECUTED IN ONE DAY FOR TERRORISM
Saudi Arabia executed 37 people on 23 April 2019 after they had been sentenced to death for terrorism-related crimes.
- APRIL 17, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded in Western Province
17 April 2018: Mohammad al-Khalidi executed for murder
- APRIL 17, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: TWO INDIAN NATIONALS BEHEADED FOR MURDER
Two Indian nationals on 28 February 2019 were beheaded by authorities in Saudi Arabia for murdering a fellow Indian, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed.
- APRIL 5, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Crown Prince bin Salman announces intention to decrease number of executions
5 April 2018: Time Magazine interview
- APRIL 2, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Pakistani executed for drug
18 March 2019: Qul Rahman Saifur Rahman (or Rakhman Sifur Rehman), a Pakistani national, was executed for smuggling a quantity of heroin.
- APRIL 2, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
A Pakistani executed for drug
21 March 2019: Nur al-Rahman Qul Faqir (or Nawur al-Rahman Fakir), a Pakistani national, was executed for smuggling heroin.