Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of its crown prince, has attempted to portray itself as a progressive force on the global stage by committing to fight violence against women and heading a UN commission.
However, this image is contradicted by the kingdom’s record-breaking 304 executions in 2024, marking “the highest number in the last 30 years.”
According to the Ministry of the Interior, recent executions included “three convicted of drug trafficking and another for murder,” with nearly a third of those executed being foreigners, suggesting Saudi Arabia has no fear of international repercussions.
Despite the prince’s promise to “reduce the use of the death penalty,” Human Rights Watch reports that “the evidence shows that he has done the contrary.”
Many executions were for non-violent crimes, particularly drug-related offenses, which surged from just two in 2023 to over 50 this year. Alarmingly, the organization also highlights that some of the 29 executed for so-called “terrorist activities” were likely participants in protests—a category that “would not apply in that case either.”
Saudi Arabia’s abuses extend beyond its borders. The murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey by at least 15 officials, including a former royal guard and a forensic expert tasked with dismembering his body, underscores the kingdom’s extrajudicial methods. If proven, this operation reveals that Saudi Arabia “not only kills its citizens by beheading… but also commits them extrajudicially and even on foreign soil.”
Freedom of expression remains under siege. Government critics like Saudi artist Mohammed al-Hazza face harsh penalties, with Hazza receiving “more than 20 years in prison” for political cartoons deemed insulting to the regime. As Sanad’s Samer Alshumrani observes, “The case of Mohammed al-Hazza is an example of the suppression of freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia, which has not spared anyone, including artists.”
While the prince attempts to reshape his nation’s image abroad, the staggering execution rates and suppression of dissent expose a stark reality.
