Saudi Arabia saw a dramatic surge in executions in 2025, reaching a staggering 356 individuals put to death. This marks the highest number in a single year for the kingdom, following another record-breaking year in 2024. The sharp increase is largely tied to an intensified “war on drugs” launched by Riyadh.
Government figures reveal that a significant 243 of these executions were for drug-related offenses. This signals a major policy shift, as the country had paused capital punishment for drug crimes for about three years, only to resume it in late 2022. Many executed in 2025 were reportedly arrested earlier in the drug crackdown, having now exhausted their legal appeals.
Human rights organizations are gravely concerned. Researchers view these record numbers as proof that Saudi Arabia’s promises of human rights reforms “have no value.” They argue that the executions create a climate of “intimidation and fear,” impacting everyone, including migrant workers and political opponents. Alarmingly, 2025 was the first year more foreign nationals were executed than Saudi citizens, underscoring the campaign’s disproportionate impact.
While Saudi Arabia maintains that capital punishment is crucial for public order and imposed only after due process, critics highlight a contradiction. The country, a major market for illicit stimulants like Captagon, continues to face international criticism. This extensive use of the death penalty, especially for non-violent drug offenses, appears at odds with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030, which aims to project a modern, open image for the nation.
