{"id":15896,"date":"2026-07-07T11:15:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T09:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esohr.org\/?p=15896"},"modified":"2026-07-07T11:15:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T09:15:14","slug":"108-%d8%a5%d8%b9%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%86%d8%b5%d9%81-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%88%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%b9%d8%a7%d9%85-2026-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.esohr.org\/en\/108-%d8%a5%d8%b9%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%86%d8%b5%d9%81-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a3%d9%88%d9%84-%d9%85%d9%86-%d8%b9%d8%a7%d9%85-2026-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b3%d8%b9%d9%88%d8%af\/","title":{"rendered":"108 <\/strong>Saudi Arabia: Executions in the First Half of 2026<\/strong> "},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Saudi Arabia continued to carry out executions at a high rate throughout 2026. During the first six months of the year, the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights documented 108 executions, confirming the continuation of the approach that has made Saudi Arabia one of the world\u2019s leading executioners in recent years and a major contributor to the global increase in executions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the first half of the year, the number of executions carried out under the rule of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reached 2,000, a record figure exceeding the totals recorded under previous reigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I. Executions in Numbers<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By Nationality<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The executions involved individuals from 17 different nationalities, reflecting Saudi Arabia\u2019s continued and extensive use of the death penalty against foreign nationals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A total of 59 foreign nationals were executed during the reporting period, representing 54% of all executions, compared with 49 Saudi nationals, who accounted for 46%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those executed included nationals of Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Somalia, Egypt, Nigeria, Benin, Iraq, Kuwait, Kenya, Uganda, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Offence<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The executions were distributed as follows: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022\t71 executions for drug-related offences, representing 66%; <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022\t25 executions for murder, representing 23%; <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022\t9 executions in political and security-related cases that did not involve any charge of murder, representing 8%; and <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022\t3 executions in other cases, representing 3%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drug-related offences accounted for the largest proportion of executions carried out during the first half of the year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, 83 of the 108 executions, or 76.8%, related to offences that did not involve intentional killing. This is inconsistent with the restrictive interpretation of the term \u201cmost serious crimes\u201d under international law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of the nature of the sentences, 84 executions were based on discretionary ta\u2019zir punishments, representing 77.7% of all executions carried out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, neither the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights nor any other relevant organisation had previously monitored or documented 91 of the 108 cases before the executions were carried out. These cases represented 84.2% of the total, demonstrating the continued lack of transparency and the difficulty of obtaining information concerning individuals sentenced to death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

II. Key Trends<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Drug-Related Executions<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drug-related offences continued to account for the largest category of executions in Saudi Arabia during the first half of 2026. Of the 108 executions documented, 71 were carried out for drug-related offences, representing 65.7% of the total. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data show that 49 of these executions were carried out against foreign nationals, representing 45.3% of all executions documented during the reporting period. Those executed came from several countries, most notably Ethiopia, Pakistan, Sudan and Yemen, reflecting the continuing disproportionate impact of this policy on migrant workers and other migrants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data also indicate that hashish related cases, for which Saudi Arabia resumed executions in recent years, accounted for at least 18.5% of all drug-related executions during the reporting period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political Executions<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the first half of the year, Saudi Arabia executed individuals convicted by the Specialised Criminal Court in political and security-related cases. These cases accounted for approximately 8.3% of all executions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most prominent cases was the execution of Saud al-Faraj in June 2026, despite the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention having previously found his detention to be arbitrary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 9 April 2026, the Saudi authorities also executed juvenile defendant Ali al-Subaiti on charges that included participation in protests when he was 12 years old. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current Situation: <\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights notes that at least five individuals remain at risk of execution for alleged offences committed during childhood. They are Youssef al-Manasif, Jawad Qureiris, Hassan Zaki al-Faraj, Mahdi al-Mohsen and Ali al-Mabyouq. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found the detention of several of them to be arbitrary and called for their release, the Saudi authorities have taken no steps to protect their lives or implement the UN recommendations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to individuals facing execution for childhood offences, 49 prisoners of conscience and individuals facing charges related to the peaceful expression of their opinions remain at risk of execution. They include Sheikh Salman al-Ouda and Sheikh Hassan al-Maliki, against whom the Public Prosecution has sought the death penalty since 2018, while their trials remain unresolved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights has also documented that Saudi prisons continue to hold large numbers of people under sentence of death. These include 58 Ethiopian nationals held in a death-row ward at Khamis Mushait Prison, an additional five Ethiopian nationals and five Somali nationals held in Najran Prison, and eight Egyptian nationals held in Tabuk Prison. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The organisation has documented a widespread pattern of violations in their cases, including the absence of professional interpretation, denial of legal assistance, a lack of understanding of judicial procedures and the failure to provide defendants with an effective opportunity to defend themselves.\nPrisoners interviewed by the organisation also reported living under the constant threat of execution. They said that, during recent months, they had witnessed prisoners being removed from death-row wards for execution following short periods of isolation and loss of contact with the outside world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion:<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights notes that the first six months of 2026 confirm Saudi Arabia\u2019s continued use of the death penalty at an accelerating rate, without regard for its international obligations or its publicly announced legal commitments, including those arising under the Convention against Torture and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the first half of the year, Saudi Arabia appears determined to remain among the world\u2019s leading executioners, despite growing international criticism and serious concerns relating to unfair trials, torture, discrimination and the complete absence of transparency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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