Capital punishment in Saudi Arabia is a legal punishment. Most executions in the country are carried out by decapitation (beheading). Saudi Arabia is the only country that still uses this method.[1] Capital punishment is used both for offenders of lethal crimes and non-lethal crimes, as well as juvenile offenders.[2] Among those executed are individuals charged with non-lethal terrorism, a charge that has been used against individuals who participated in protests against the authoritarian regime in Saudi Arabia.[2]
Death sentences are almost exclusively based on the system of judicial sentencing discretion (tazir), following the classical principle of avoiding Sharia-prescribed (hudud) penalties when possible.[3] In response to a 1970s rise in violent crime, these sentences increased. This paralleled similar developments in the U.S. and mainland China in the late 20th century.[3] A central square in the Kingdom's capital, Riyadh, became known in the West as "Chop-Chop Square" due to public executions there.
The kingdom executed at least 158 people in 2015,[4] at least 154 in 2016,[5] at least 146 in 2017,[6] 149 in 2018,[7] 184 in 2019,[8] 69 in 2020, 196 in 2022,[9] 172 in 2023[10] and 345 in 2024.[11]
In 2022, Saudi Arabia executed more people than in any year over the previous three decades.[12] The largest known mass execution in the country's history[13] was carried out on March 12 that year, when 81 people were executed, including seven Yemenis and one Syrian.[14]
In 2024, executions reached a new high of 345, almost exactly doubling the 172 executions carried out in 2023.[11][15][16]