Saudi Arabia is one of the few countries in the world where a large number of people are sentenced to death. Foreign citizens are also among them. This year too, more than 100 people have been hanged in Saudi Arabia so far. These include citizens of countries like Syria, Nigeria, Egypt.
So far in the current year i.e. 2024, 101 foreign nationals have been hanged in Saudi Arabia. This is the first time in the history of Saudi Arabia that more than 100 people have been sentenced to death in a year. Talking about the past years, Saudi had hanged 34-34 foreigners in 2023 and 2022. This year this figure is almost three times that of the last two years, which may increase further by the end of 2024. Due to this increase in death penalty, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman is on the target of human rights organizations. Human rights organizations have accused of unprecedented increase in death penalty.
Conviction due to drug-related crimes
This year, the highest number of foreigners have been convicted of drug-related crimes in Saudi Arabia. This year, 92 executions were carried out in drug-related cases, of which 69 were foreign nationals. News agency AFP quoted Taha Alhaji, legal director of the European-Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR), as saying, "Foreigners are the most vulnerable group. They are often victims of major drug dealers and their rights are violated from their arrest to sentencing."
Fear of death penalty is increasing
Zaid Basyouni of the anti-death penalty group Reprieve says that as the number of executions is increasing, the families of those sentenced to death are in constant fear. The families of foreign nationals sentenced to death are terrified that their loved one may be next. He has called the current situation an unprecedented crisis.
The foreigners executed in Saudi Arabia this year include 21 from Pakistan, 20 from Yemen, 14 from Syria, 10 from Nigeria, nine from Egypt, eight from Jordan and seven from Ethiopia. Three each were executed from Sudan, India and Afghanistan, and one each from Sri Lanka, Eritrea and the Philippines.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman under fire
There is a continuous investigation into the use of death penalty in Saudi Arabia. International organizations like Amnesty International have described Saudi Arabia as the third largest country to execute prisoners worldwide after China and Iran. Saudi Arabia's 'de facto ruler' Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is also under fire over the increasing number of executions this year. The number of deaths is contrary to Mohammed bin Salman's claims in which he said that Saudi has abolished the death penalty except for murder and some serious crimes.