Thirteen individuals are put to death by Saudi Arabia within a three-day span, nearing a fresh execution record.
Saudi Arabia is witnessing a significant increase in executions for drug offenses, marking a resumption of such punishments after a three-year hiatus. This surge is a part of an intensified "war on drugs" launched in 2023, aimed at curbing drug trafficking within the kingdom [1][2][3][5].
According to recent reports, 15 individuals, primarily foreigners, were put to death on Saturday and Sunday for drug-related offenses [4]. As of the current count, 239 executions have taken place this year, with 161 for drug offenses and 136 being foreign nationals [6]. If this pace continues, Saudi Arabia could surpass last year's total of 338 executions, the highest since public records began in the early 1990s [7].
This rise in executions contradicts Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, which aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a more open, tolerant, and modern society. The continued and accelerated use of the death penalty, particularly for drug-related cases, undermines the image of social and legal reform that the Vision 2030 initiative seeks to promote. Activists and human rights groups argue that this harsh approach to capital punishment damages the kingdom’s reputation internationally and conflicts with promises of modernization and reform under the Crown Prince’s leadership [3][5].
Notably, many of those first arrested in the "war on drugs" are now being executed following legal proceedings. Jeed Basyouni of the Reprieve rights group signaled a rise in executions for hashish-related drug offenses [8]. The spike in executions is linked to Saudi Arabia’s ongoing "war on drugs," but the article does not provide specific facts about the "War against captagon" in this paragraph [9].
Saudi authorities have defended these executions, stating that they are aimed at ensuring security and deterring drugs in Saudi Arabia [10]. However, the continued use of capital punishment for drug offenses raises human rights concerns and questions about the kingdom's commitment to reform.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-resumes-executions-drug-offenders-2022-12-01/ [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/14/saudi-arabia-executes-15-for-drug-offences-in-two-days [3] https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/16/saudi-arabia-executions-rise-war-drugs [4] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/14/saudi-arabia-executes-15-for-drug-offences-in-two-days [5] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-executes-15-for-drug-offences-in-two-days-2023-03-14/ [6] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/16/saudi-arabia-executes-15-for-drug-offences-in-two-days [7] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/16/saudi-arabia-executes-15-for-drug-offences-in-two-days [8] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-executes-15-for-drug-offences-in-two-days-2023-03-14/ [9] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/14/saudi-arabia-executes-15-for-drug-offences-in-two-days [10] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-executes-15-for-drug-offences-in-two-days-2023-03-14/
- Saudi Arabia's intensified "war on drugs," which has led to a significant increase in executions, particularly for drug offenses, is causing international concern and conflicts with the promises of social, legal, and political reform made under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 initiative.
- The ongoing war-and-conflicts against drugs in Saudi Arabia, seen particularly in the spike in hashish-related drug offenses, raises human rights concerns and questions about the kingdom's commitment to reform, despite the assertions of the authorities that these executions are aimed at ensuring security and deterring drug use within the society.
- The surge in executions for drug offenses, which has included 15 individuals being put to death in two days and a total of 239 executions this year, is becoming a topic of extensive general-news coverage and discussion in crime-and-justice circles, as it contradicts the kingdom's efforts to maintain a modern and tolerant image and undermines its relations with other societies around the world.
