Saudi Arabia’s recent executions of 17 people in just three days, marks the fastest spree of capital punishment in the kingdom since 2022. With 239 executions already carried out in 2025—161 for drug offenses and 136 involving foreign nationals—the country is on pace to surpass last year’s record of 338 executions.
According to the state-run Saudi Press Agency, two Saudis were executed Monday for “terrorist crimes,” following 15 executions over the weekend, most for hashish or cocaine smuggling. Thirteen of those executed were convicted of smuggling hashish, while another was put to death for cocaine trafficking.
The kingdom resumed executing drug offenders in late 2022 after a three-year suspension. Since then, Saudi Arabia has accelerated its “war on drugs,” launched in 2023, with recent executions stemming from earlier arrests. Saudi officials maintain that capital punishment ensures “security and deters drugs,” insisting all legal avenues are exhausted before executions occur.
Critics argue the executions—particularly of foreign nationals—contradict Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030, which markets the nation as a modernizing power. Jeed Basyouni of Reprieve warned of a “significant rise in executions for hashish-related drug offences,” adding, “This is particularly concerning given the global trend toward decriminalising the possession and use of hashish.”
Despite international outcry, Saudi Arabia appears unmoved. As the Saudi regime claims to embrace modernization, its justice system continues sending a stark message to the world—and to those it deems a threat.
