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
DECEMBER 5, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYOne Syrian and two Pakistani nationals beheaded in Mecca
5 December 2018: Abdulrahman Ghaleb Ramdhun, Dawsat Mohammed Bir Mohammed and Ghalem Shabir Mohammed Amir executed for drugs trafficking
- DECEMBER 2, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi national beheaded in Abha
2 December 2018: Hamed bin Hadi bin Shalaan al-Qahtani executed for murder
- NOVEMBER 29, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi national beheaded for murder
29 November 2018: Qublan bin Dhafer bin Odhaiman al-Qahtani executed in Khamis Mushayt Governatorate
- NOVEMBER 29, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Two Pakistani nationals beheaded in Riyadh
29 November 2018: Mumtaz Ahmed and Mohammed Rafiq executed for drugs trafficking
- NOVEMBER 28, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani national beheaded in Mecca
28 November 2018: Shakr Allah Rahman Allah executed for drugs trafficking
- NOVEMBER 28, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi national beheaded in Mecca
28 November 2018: Nafaa bin Mahri bin Nafaaal-Marhabi executed for murder of a Canadian citizen
- NOVEMBER 27, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Yemeni citizen beheaded in Riyadh
27 November 2018: Hani Sadeq Wazae al-Shajaa executed for murder
- NOVEMBER 21, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Djibouti citizen beheaded in Jazan
21 November 2018: Abdo Hussein Ali Ibrahim executed for murder
- NOVEMBER 20, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
One Ethiopian and two Yemeni citizens beheaded in Juzan Region
20 November 2018: triple execution for drugs trafficking
- NOVEMBER 15, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded in Khamis Mushait Governatorate
15 November 2018: Hassan bin Mohammed bin Ali Asiri executed for murder of co-national
- NOVEMBER 13, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi national beheaded in Arar
13 November 2018: Mahmoud bin Rabie bin al-Yabes al-Ruwaili executed for murder
- NOVEMBER 13, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi ISIS member beheaded after videotaped crimes shook the Kingdom
13 November 2018: Majed Saad bin Radhi al-Anzi executed for murder and terrorist crimes
- NOVEMBER 11, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Two Egyptian nationals beheaded in Tabuk Region
11 November 2018: Youssef Faraj Saad Muslim and Mohammed Abdullah Audeh Awad executed for drugs trafficking
- NOVEMBER 4, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani national beheaded in Jeddah Governorate
4 November 2018: Qul Afdhal Nadir Khan executed for heroin smuggle
- NOVEMBER 2, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: INDONESIAN MAID EXECUTED FOR KILLING EMPLOYER WHO TRIED TO RAPE HER
Saudi Arabia executed on 29 October 2018 an Indonesian maid for killing her boss – while he was trying to rape her.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi national beheaded in Mecca
1 November 2018: Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Jibran al-Qahtani executed for murder of a co-national
- OCTOBER 31, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded in Medina
31 October 2018: Abdullah bin Marzuq bin Nehaei al-Rashidi executed for murder
- OCTOBER 31, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi national beheaded in Tabuk Region
31 October 2018: Sulaiman bin Qubail bin Jalil Al-Atawi executed for drugs smuggle
- OCTOBER 30, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
UN rights experts urge Saudi Arabia to halt six imminent executions
30 October 2018: six were minors at the time of activities related to anti-government protests in 2011
- OCTOBER 29, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi Arabia: Indonesian maid executed for the murder of her boss
29 October 2018: according to reports, Tuti Tursilawati was defending herself from rape
- OCTOBER 28, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani national beheaded in Jeddah Governorate
28 October 2018: Mohammed Ramadan Sardara executed for heroin smuggle
- OCTOBER 24, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Interior Ministry: execution of two Saudi nationals
24 October 2018: Abdullah bin Eid bin Barka al-Awfi and Nader bin Mohammed bin Bakhit al-Awfi condemned for luring fellow citizen to his death
- OCTOBER 23, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: 3 SAUDIS CONVICTED OF MURDERING INDIAN WORKERS EXECUTED IN QATIF
Three Saudi nationals were executed on 22 October 2018 for robbing and killing five Indian nationals in the Eastern Province city of Qatif, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported quoting an Interior Ministry statement.
- OCTOBER 22, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Three Saudi nationals executed in Qatif Region
22 October 2018: Interior Ministry - condemned for robbing and killing five Indian nationals
OCTOBER 20, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYUnited Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Saudi Arabia Must Review the Conviction of the disabled demonstrator Munir Adam
20 October 2018: Saudi Arabia has failed to fulfil its Treaty obligations
- OCTOBER 18, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani citizen beheaded in Riyadh
18 October 2018: Khazar Rasul executed for murder
- OCTOBER 18, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani citizen beheaded in Riyadh Region
18 October 2018: Naik Zada Jan Baz executed for drugs smuggle
- OCTOBER 17, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi national beheaded in Tabuk Region
17 October 2018: Nasser bin Salim bin Nassar Al-Omairi executed for drugs smuggle
- OCTOBER 15, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani national beheaded in Jeddah
15 October 2018: Rauf Ahmed Mohamed Manour executed for drugs smuggle
- OCTOBER 8, 2018Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi citizen beheaded in Jeddah
8 October 2018: Jazae bin Halal bin Jazae al-Otaibi executed for murder