Saudi Arabia has executed eight individuals in a single day, including four Somalis, three Ethiopians, and one Saudi citizen, as the kingdom intensifies its crackdown on drug-related offenses and violent crimes. The mass execution took place on Saturday, August 3, 2025, in the southern region of Najran, according to an official report by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The seven foreign nationals were convicted of smuggling large quantities of hashish into the kingdom, while the Saudi national was executed for the brutal murder of his mother, SPA confirmed.
This latest wave of executions brings Saudi Arabia’s 2025 death toll to 230 people, with 154 of those cases linked to drug trafficking—a record-breaking pace that could see the Gulf nation surpass last year’s total of 338 executions.
⚖️ EXECUTIONS SURGE AS SAUDI ARABIA INTENSIFIES WAR ON DRUGS
Since launching its “war on drugs” in 2023, Saudi Arabia has significantly increased its use of capital punishment, particularly against individuals convicted of narcotics-related crimes. While the death penalty was briefly suspended for drug offenses between 2020 and late 2022, executions resumed aggressively in 2023, with the numbers spiking ever since.
According to data compiled by AFP, Saudi Arabia executed:
- 19 people in 2022 for drug offenses
- 2 people in 2023
- 117 people in 2024
- 154 people (so far) in 2025
These statistics reflect a sharp rise in state-led executions, with many observers linking the trend to previously delayed cases now reaching final verdicts.
🏛️ LEGAL PROCESS AND INTERNATIONAL CRITICISM
Saudi authorities maintain that all executions are carried out only after exhaustive judicial proceedings, including multiple appeals and Supreme Court reviews. Officials argue that capital punishment is essential for maintaining law and order, especially in cases involving large-scale drug trafficking.
However, human rights organizations and global activists continue to condemn the kingdom’s continued use of the death penalty, arguing it contradicts Saudi Arabia’s efforts to portray a more modern, open, and tolerant society under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform plan.
“The use of executions, particularly for non-violent offenses, undermines international human rights standards,” said one rights group in a recent statement.
🌍 GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT ON SAUDI CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
The high number of executions in 2025 has reignited global scrutiny over Saudi Arabia’s judicial transparency, treatment of foreign nationals, and its reliance on capital punishment for drug crimes. Despite ongoing reforms in the country’s social and economic sectors, the kingdom remains one of the world’s top executioners per capita.
Countries such as Iran, China, and Saudi Arabia routinely top execution lists, with Saudi Arabia gaining particular attention due to its publicized executions, often announced through state media outlets like SPA.
The fact that many of the executed individuals are migrant workers or foreign nationals has also sparked debate over whether due process and fair trial standards are being equally applied.
