Sharp Rise in Executions in Saudi Arabia Amid Repression of Dissent

In a stark effort to suppress opposition to the Saudi Royal Family, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has witnessed a significant surge in executions during the first half of this year, with a 42 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The most recent execution of a dissident took place last Saturday when Abdul Majeed Al-Nimr, 59, a father of four from Qatif, a predominantly Shiite province in the eastern part of the Kingdom, was executed. According to Saudi media, he was convicted of joining a “terrorist cell affiliated with Al-Qaeda.”

The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, a Berlin-based non-governmental organization, condemned the execution in a statement last night. The organization accused Saudi authorities of fabricating documents to falsely link Al-Nimr to Al-Qaeda, arguing that the execution is “further evidence of the complete lack of trust in all stages of the Saudi justice system.” The organization described the execution as a “clear message that Saudi Arabia has no regard for its commitments and promises, and continues with killings that violate international law.”

The organization highlighted that the number of executions in Saudi Arabia has sharply risen in the first half of this year, marking a 42 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Saudi Arabia has long faced severe criticism from human rights organizations due to its use of the death penalty and its judicial system. According to an AFP tally, Saudi Arabia has already executed more than 140 people in 2024. In 2023, the Kingdom executed 172 people, following 196 executions in 2022, which was a threefold increase compared to 2021, and a sevenfold increase compared to 2020.

Just days ago, Amnesty International called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of a Saudi citizen whose death sentence had been overturned. The individual was initially sentenced to death for condemning corruption and human rights abuses in the Kingdom on social media.

Last July, the Specialized Criminal Court in Saudi Arabia, established in 2008 to handle terrorism cases, sentenced teacher Mohammed Al-Ghamdi to death for posts deemed to “threaten community security and conspire against the government” on his account on the “X” platform. Human rights advocates at the time noted that the case was based at least partly on posts critical of the government and in support of “prisoners of conscience,” including clerics Salman Al-Ouda and Awad Al-Qarni. The case of Al-Ghamdi, 56, gained additional attention after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman personally confirmed the details of the case in a rare interview with Fox News in September last year.

Since Mohammed bin Salman became Crown Prince in 2017, Saudi Arabia has pursued an ambitious reform agenda known as “Vision 2030,” aimed at transforming the previously closed-off Kingdom into a global tourism and commercial hub through social reforms.

However, this has been accompanied by continued repression of dissent, drawing criticism over the Kingdom’s human rights record, particularly its stifling of free expression, according to AFP.

Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch and currently a visiting professor at Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, commented, “Some executions are not even for recognized ordinary crimes, but for political offenses such as endangering national unity or undermining social security. Amnesty International believes that the judiciary is being used to silence dissent.”

Earlier this month, Hala bint Mazyad Al-Tuwaijri, the head of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, stated that “Saudi Arabia is committed to achieving the highest international standards in the protection and promotion of human rights, based on its deep-rooted principles and values, and the will of its leadership, which places humanity above all else.” However, the rise in executions suggests otherwise.

Observers note that the crackdown on dissenting voices and advocates for their rights represents a contradiction with “Saudi Vision 2030.” This vision is a series of social and economic reforms championed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who introduced the reforms in 2017 as part of an effort to diversify the economy and reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil revenue.

Experts argue that the rise in executions “demonstrates that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is not a political reformer at all,” according to human rights expert Kenneth Roth. The recent increase in executions contradicts the statements made earlier this month by Hala Al-Tuwaijri, chairwoman of the Saudi Human Rights Commission.

Ali Adubisi, head of the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, remarked that these words ring hollow, stating, “True human rights would allow for criticism, oversight, and accountability in an authoritarian system. Where are Saudi Arabia’s promises to reduce the use of the death penalty for non-violent crimes?”

Lina Al-Hathloul, the sister of recently released feminist activist Loujain Al-Hathloul and the head of communications and monitoring at the London-based human rights organization ALQST, added, “If there were freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia, people would start voicing their opinions on various matters, not just the political system.” She continued, “With freedom of expression, not only does criticism increase, but so does success. This is what is needed for a vibrant society.”

In a recent joint statement, Human Rights Watch and 26 other organizations pointed out that in April 2024, a Saudi appellate court upheld the death sentences of two Saudi men for crimes related to protests they allegedly committed as children. The organizations called on Saudi authorities to immediately halt the execution of juvenile delinquents.

Joy Shee, a Saudi researcher at Human Rights Watch, criticized Saudi Arabia for investing billions in entertainment and sporting events as a means to divert attention from its repressive human rights environment. She highlighted that individuals accused of crimes committed as minors are still facing execution and called on the Kingdom to revoke the death sentences for Al-Munassif and Al-Mabyoq, urging Saudi authorities to honor their pledge to end the execution of juvenile delinquents.

The “Convention on the Rights of the Child,” to which Saudi Arabia is a party, absolutely prohibits the death penalty for crimes committed by children. Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all countries and under all circumstances because of its inherent cruelty and finality, as well as the inevitable risks of arbitrariness and error.