Saudi Arabia has executed 340 people in 2025, breaking its own record for annual death penalties and drawing sharp criticism from human rights groups worldwide.
Record-Breaking Year
Saudi Arabia has set a new record for executions in a single year, with 340 people put to death in 2025, according to an AFP tally. This surpasses the 338 executions recorded in 2024, marking the second consecutive year the kingdom has broken its own record.
Breakdown of Cases
- 232 executions were drug-related, reflecting the government’s intensified “war on drugs” launched in 2023.
- Others were carried out for murder and terrorism charges, though rights groups argue many trials were flawed and convictions based on coerced confessions.
- Foreign nationals make up a significant portion of those executed, particularly migrant workers caught in drug trafficking cases.
Global Reaction
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Alqst, and Reprieve, condemned the surge in executions. Critics say the kingdom’s actions show a “grim disregard for the right to life” and violate international law, which restricts the death penalty to the “most serious crimes” involving intentional killings.
UN experts have repeatedly urged Saudi Arabia to halt executions, especially in cases involving minors. Reports indicate that at least two individuals executed this year were under 18 at the time of their alleged crimes, contravening the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Saudi Arabia has signed.
Context and Background
Saudi Arabia suspended executions for drug offenses between 2019 and 2022 but resumed them at the end of 2022. Since then, the numbers have surged, with hundreds of individuals sentenced under the renewed crackdown. Analysts link the rise to the kingdom’s battle against Captagon, a popular illicit stimulant trafficked across the Middle East.
Despite efforts to project a modern image internationally, the kingdom’s reliance on capital punishment continues to draw scrutiny. Rights groups argue that the executions undermine Saudi Arabia’s attempts to present itself as a reforming state.
Implications
The record-breaking executions highlight the tension between Saudi Arabia’s domestic security policies and its global reputation. While authorities frame the campaign as necessary to combat crime and drug trafficking, critics warn that the surge in executions risks isolating the kingdom diplomatically and damaging its human rights record.
In summary: Saudi Arabia’s 2025 execution tally of 340 marks a historic high, fueled largely by drug-related convictions. While the government defends the crackdown as part of its war on narcotics, international observers see it as a troubling escalation that undermines human rights commitments.
