Saudi Arabia has carried out the execution of eight individuals in a single day, state media reported on Saturday, marking another sharp escalation in the kingdom’s use of capital punishment especially in drug-related cases.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), four Somalis and three Ethiopians were executed in the southern region of Najran for smuggling hashish into the country.
In a separate case, a Saudi national was executed for the murder of his mother.
The executions bring the total number carried out in 2025 to 230, based on an AFP tally of official announcements. Of those, 154 were related to drug offences.
If the current pace continues, Saudi Arabia could surpass its 2024 record of 338 executions, the highest annual figure in recent years.
Observers link the spike to an intensified anti-narcotics campaign launched by the Saudi government in 2023.
Many of those executed in 2025 were reportedly arrested during the early phase of the crackdown and have now reached the end of their legal appeals.
Saudi Arabia had previously paused executions for drug-related crimes between 2020 and late 2022. However, the practice resumed at the end of 2022 and has sharply increased since:
- 2022: 19 drug-related executions
- 2023: 2 executions
- 2024: 117 executions
The resurgence in capital punishment has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, who argue that it contradicts the kingdom’s efforts to portray a more progressive and reform-minded image under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 agenda.
Despite the backlash, Saudi officials maintain that the death penalty is essential for preserving public order and is only imposed after all legal appeals are exhausted.
The kingdom remains one of the world’s most prolific users of the death penalty, with executions often carried out by beheading.
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