RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia has executed 101 foreign nationals this year, including three Afghan citizens, according to a report by Agence France-Presse.
The figure is nearly three times the number of foreign nationals executed annually in 2022 and 2023, when 34 were put to death each year, the report said.
The most recent execution, reported by Saudi Arabia’s official news agency, involved a Yemeni citizen who was convicted of drug trafficking. The execution took place on Saturday in the southwestern region of Najran.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, based in Berlin, said the 2024 executions represent a record high.
“This is the highest number of foreign nationals executed in a single year,” said Taha al-Hajji, the organization’s legal director. “Foreign nationals are the most vulnerable group facing executions in Saudi Arabia.”
Those executed this year include 21 Pakistanis, 20 Yemenis, 14 Syrians, 10 Nigerians, 9 Egyptians, 8 Jordanians, and 7 Ethiopians, along with 3 citizens each from Sudan, India, and Afghanistan. One individual each from Sri Lanka, Eritrea, and the Philippines was also executed.
Saudi Arabia has faced persistent criticism from human rights groups over its use of the death penalty. Advocates argue that the practice undermines the kingdom’s efforts to improve its global image and attract international tourists and investors.
According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia ranked third globally for the number of executions carried out in 2023, following China and Iran.
