Published: July 9, 2025, 12:04 AM
Saudi Arabia has executed nearly 600 people over the past decade for drug-related crimes, with the vast majority being foreign nationals, according to a new report by Amnesty International.
The rights organisation highlights what it describes as a “truly horrifying” pattern of executions, with three-quarters of those killed hailing from countries like Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Nigeria, and Egypt. Amnesty accuses Saudi authorities of carrying out executions following "grossly unfair trials" and failing to provide basic legal protections for the accused.
After a short moratorium on drug-related executions between 2021 and 2022, capital punishments resumed at record levels - 122 executions took place in 2024 alone, and 118 more have occurred in the first half of 2025.
“These are crimes that should never carry the death penalty,” said Dana Ahmed, Amnesty’s Middle East researcher. “The international community’s silence - partly driven by Saudi Arabia’s wealth and geopolitical influence - has enabled this horrifying spree to continue unchecked.”
Amnesty points to cases where vulnerable migrant workers were misled into trafficking drugs under false pretenses. In one such instance, seven Ethiopian men and a Somali national were sentenced to death for allegedly trafficking 153kg of cannabis - worth around $3.8 million - after being promised just $267 each.
The report also raises concerns over a lack of due process: limited legal access, no proper translation services, poor consular support, and confessions reportedly obtained through torture. In at least four cases, defendants alleged mistreatment during pre-trial detention.
Many of the accused had little knowledge of their legal status or upcoming executions, with some only being informed a day before they were killed.
Kristine Beckerle, Amnesty’s deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, called the practice “cruel, inhuman, and degrading,” urging Saudi allies to pressure Riyadh to stop the executions and align with international human rights standards.
Saudi officials have been contacted for comment but have yet to respond.
