Saudi Arabia Executes Eight in a Single Day

Saudi Arabia carried out eight executions in one day, state media reported, as the kingdom sees a sharp rise in the use of the death penalty, particularly for drug-related crimes.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), four Somalis and three Ethiopians were executed on Saturday in the southern region of Najran for smuggling hashish into the country. In a separate case, a Saudi man was executed after being convicted of killing his mother.

This brings the total number of executions in 2025 to 230, based on official reports. Of these, 154 were for drug-related charges. If the current pace continues, Saudi Arabia is on track to exceed last year’s record of 338 executions.

The increase is linked to the kingdom’s ongoing “war on drugs,” launched in 2023. Many of those executed had been arrested during the initial crackdown and were only recently sentenced following lengthy legal proceedings.

Saudi Arabia had paused the death penalty for drug offences for about three years but resumed executions in late 2022. Official tallies show 19 executions in 2022, two in 2023, and 117 in 2024 for drug-related crimes.

Human rights groups have criticized the surge in executions, saying it undermines efforts to present the kingdom as more open and reform-driven under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030.

Authorities, however, defend the practice, saying the death penalty is essential for public safety and is only applied after all legal appeals have been exhausted.