Amnesty International has reported a significant increase in the use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, stating that the kingdom has executed over 198 individuals so far in 2024, marking the highest such toll in decades. The organization criticized Saudi Arabia for escalating executions while frequently neglecting international fair trial standards and safeguarding measures for defendants. Furthermore, Amnesty highlighted the prevalence of human rights abuses, including unfair trials, associated with many of these death sentences.
The surge in executions continues despite Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s 2022 declaration that capital punishment would only be retained for cases mandated by Sharia law. However, Saudi Arabia remains one of the leading countries in the implementation of the death penalty, accounting for 15 percent of all executions globally in 2022, a number which Amnesty International suggests could be underreported. Further details on this can be found here.
This increase in executions is part of a global trend, with the number of death sentences imposed worldwide reaching 2,428 in 2023, a 20 percent rise from 2022. The global number of executions also rose by 30 percent in the same period, totaling 1,153. Despite widespread condemnation and a growing movement towards abolition, capital punishment persists in several nations. For more on this topic, visit Amnesty International’s report.
The implementation of the death penalty by states is permitted under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights but is restricted to the most serious crimes and excludes individuals under 18 years of age. Nonetheless, Saudi Arabia announced the abolition of the death penalty for minors only as recently as 2020 and continues to apply capital punishment for non-violent offenses such as apostasy, sorcery, adultery, and various drug-related crimes. Further analysis on this can be accessed through the U.S. State Department’s report on Saudi Arabia.
Concerns regarding wrongful executions have intensified globally. For instance, the Death Penalty Information Center has documented numerous cases of potentially innocent individuals being executed in the United States. The contentious execution of Marcellus Williams in Missouri exemplifies this issue, where the reliability of evidence linking Williams to the crime was highly questionable. More details on similar cases can be found here.
In a related incident, a Japanese court recently acquitted Iwao Hakamada, who had spent 48 years on death row, reflecting widespread apprehension about the execution of innocent people. For additional context, see the full news report on JURIST.