Seven Men Executed in Largest Single-Day Execution Since 2022 in Saudi Arabia

In a dramatic act, Saudi Arabia killed seven men on Tuesday, marking the greatest number of persons put to death in a single day since March 2022 when 81 were executed. The Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) convicted the individuals on terrorist charges, accusing them of jeopardizing the peace and security of the kingdom, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

This new event increases the overall number of executions in Saudi Arabia to 31 for the year 2024, following at least 172 killings in 2023, according to human rights groups monitoring the situation. The European-Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR) and Reprieve, a UK-based NGO, underlined that there were no public documents or media reporting on the cases of the individuals killed on Tuesday.


The SPA notification, which generally offers scant information concerning executions in the kingdom, cited the names of the individuals without giving more details. The executions were handled by the SCC, which has received criticism for its handling of cases involving dissidents and protestors, frequently under the pretense of terrorism accusations.

Jeed Basyouni, directing Reprieve’s work in the Middle East and North Africa, raised worry about the lack of openness, adding that it appears the men were convicted and killed in full secrecy. The SCC has been accused of exploiting the wide definition of terrorism to prosecute individuals such as minors who participated in rallies, government opponents, and others who expressed opposition openly.

This rise in executions raises worries, particularly considering the approaching LEAP summit in Riyadh and the Formula One race in Jeddah. Basyouni highlighted that participants in these activities should be mindful that their presence in Saudi Arabia, without addressing the subject of mass executions, might unwittingly legitimize a harsh administration.

The plan to kill seven persons on a single day is viewed as the highest since March 2022, a year in which Saudi Arabia carried out more executions than any country save China and Iran, according to Amnesty International. The date, near to the two-year anniversary of the greatest mass execution in the kingdom’s history, adds to the anxiety voiced by human rights organizations.