Saudi Arabia executed seven individuals on Wednesday, bringing the total number of executions carried out in the country this year to a staggering 236. Among those executed, five were convicted of drug trafficking, highlighting the Kingdom’s relentless crackdown on the illicit drug trade. The executions were announced by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), citing statements from the interior ministry.
The executed individuals included Yahya Lutfullah, Ali Azib, Ahmed Ali, and Salem Nahari, all Yemeni citizens, who were convicted of smuggling hashish into the country. They were executed in the southern province of Asir. Additionally, a Pakistani man was executed for drug trafficking, adding to the 71 executions carried out for this crime in Saudi Arabia this year.
The kingdom has become a prime target for the flow of captagon, a highly addictive amphetamine drug originating from war-torn Syria and Lebanon. This influx has prompted Saudi authorities to launch a vigorous anti-drug campaign in recent years, resulting in numerous raids and arrests. The execution of drug traffickers has escalated since the kingdom lifted a moratorium on the death penalty for drug-related offenses two years ago.
Apart from the drug-related executions, the interior ministry also announced the execution of two Saudi nationals for murder.
Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty has drawn condemnation from human rights organizations, who deem it excessive and at odds with the nation’s efforts to project a more modern image on the global stage. Amnesty International, which has been tracking executions globally since 1990, declared Saudi Arabia as the third highest executioner in the world in 2023, after China and Iran.
Despite the criticism, the Saudi government maintains that the death penalty is essential for upholding public order and that sentences are only carried out after defendants have exhausted all legal avenues.