Saudi Arabia Death Penalty Surge Continues in 2025

Saudi Arabia executed eight people in one day, including four Somalis, three Ethiopians convicted of hashish smuggling, and one Saudi man convicted of matricide, amid a surge in the use of the death penalty. Since early 2025, the kingdom has conducted 230 executions, 154 of which were for drug-related offenses, putting it on track to surpass last year's record of 338 executions. The uptick follows a 2023 'war on drugs' campaign and the end of a three-year suspension of executions for drug offenses in late 2022. Saudi Arabia executed 19 people for narcotics-related crimes in 2022, two in 2023, and 117 in 2024. Human rights activists claim the increase undermines Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reforms, aimed at modernizing the country's image. Authorities argue that the death penalty is necessary for public order and is carried out only after all legal appeals are exhausted.