In 2024, Saudi Arabia executed 345 people—the highest number recorded in recent history. This staggering figure more than doubled the executions carried out in 2023 and reflects a dramatic escalation in the Kingdom’s use of capital punishment. On average, one person was executed every 25 hours. Despite global calls to restrict the death penalty to only the “most serious crimes,” Saudi Arabia continues to apply it to non-lethal offenses such as drug-related charges and political dissent. Human rights groups have raised alarm over the opaque nature of the Saudi judicial process and the increasing use of the death penalty as a tool of repression.
Among those executed in 2024, 138 were foreign nationals—a sharp increase from 38 in 2023—accounting for 31% of all executions. The nationalities of those executed included Egyptians, Yemenis, Syrians, Pakistanis, Ethiopians, Nigerians, Jordanians, and others. The rising number of foreign nationals executed comes amid growing concerns about severe violations faced by migrant workers. Many of these individuals were sentenced under deeply flawed judicial procedures without access to translators, lawyers, or consular support.
A disturbing number of these executions were tied to drug-related offenses. International human rights law prohibits the death penalty for crimes that do not meet the “most serious” threshold. Yet, Saudi Arabia resumed drug-related executions after lifting its unofficial moratorium in November 2022, following a 21-month suspension. No legal reforms accompanied this reversal. According to OHCHR, 75% of all drug-related executions in 2024 involved foreign nationals. Among them were 33 Egyptian nationals tried under procedures that fell short of international standards for due process and fairness.
Foreign nationals face multiple layers of disadvantage in Saudi Arabia’s opaque judicial system. Defendants are frequently denied legal representation and consular access throughout their proceedings. Moreover, Saudi judges regularly apply the Taazir system, a discretionary legal category under Islamic jurisprudence reserved for crimes or offenses that are not explicitly defined in Sharia as requiring specific punishments. Under Taazir, judges are granted wide discretion to impose sentences—including the death penalty—based on their personal interpretation of the offense and its context. This system is frequently used to prosecute non-lethal crimes such as drug possession or political dissent. In 2024, 141 executions (40% of the total) were carried out under Taazir—a stark increase from 54 in 2023—demonstrating the Saudi judiciary’s expanding reliance on arbitrary and opaque legal mechanisms
Despite mounting evidence of systemic abuses, many governments whose nationals were executed in 2024 remained silent. In most cases, the identities of those executed were never publicly disclosed. UN experts criticized this secrecy, urging states to uphold their consular protection obligations and condemn unfair executions. Yet, many states have chosen to turn a blind eye—maintaining diplomatic, economic, and even cultural partnerships that help legitimize the Saudi government at the international level. This includes awarding Saudi Arabia the 2034 FIFA World Cup despite widespread human rights violations, including the executions of minors.
Saudi Arabia’s continued execution of foreign nationals for crimes that do not meet international legal thresholds reflects a deeper pattern of systemic injustice. The use of the death penalty against vulnerable populations—often without due process, transparency, or adequate defense—demands urgent international attention. States must break their silence, demand a moratorium on the death penalty, and hold Saudi Arabia accountable under international human rights and consular protection laws. Inaction enables abuse. Justice requires a voice, especially for those silenced at the end of a noose.
