Saudi Arabia has recently come under scrutiny for its alarming number of executions for drug-related crimes over the past decade. Almost 600 people have been executed for these crimes. Unsurprisingly, three-quarters of those sentenced to death are foreign nationals. During the countries where Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Nigeria and Egypt have had their citizens executed, in this far-reaching crisis.
As of mid-2024, Saudi Arabia has already executed 122 people. As of the end of last month, the country had already executed 118 people so far this year. This trend has sparked fire from the fury of human rights groups. Amnesty International highlights the bizarre and troubling conditions surrounding these executions.
Amnesty International identified numerous instances where individuals suffered torture or ill-treatment while in pre-trial detention. They endured these abominations in a bid to elicit confessions. The organization argues that many foreign nationals on death row come from limited educational backgrounds and disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions, which heightens their vulnerability to exploitation and makes it exceedingly difficult for them to secure adequate legal representation.
There are currently seven Ethiopians and one Somali man sitting on death row in Yemen. They stand accused of trafficking 153kg of the cannabis, estimated street value of about $3.8 million (£2.79 million). These activists are understandably outraged to see foreign nationals executed in breach of international law for drug offenses. They contend that no crime, in any circumstance, should ever be punishable by death.
Kristine Beckerle, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, added, “The death penalty is the ultimate expression of the cruelty and inhumanity of punishment.” She focused on its degrading aspect.
Dana Ahmed, Amnesty International’s Middle East researcher, stressed how dire the situation is. As a result, she said, “We are seeing an incredibly disturbing pattern. Foreign nationals – many of whom committed crimes that should not even merit the death penalty – are being executed at an alarming rate.
Saudi Arabia publicly stopped executing individuals for drug-related capital offenses between 2021 and 2022. With the alarming recent uptick in executions, there is a question as to whether or how seriously the nation plans to reform its treatment of drug-related offenses.
Human rights advocates continue to point out the absence of transparency and due process endemic to the Saudi legal system. We’ve tried to comment on these executions from Saudi officials but in vain, as no one has been available to respond to our inquiries.