Saudi Arabia executes seven people in one day

Saudi Arabia executed seven people on Wednesday, October 23, including five for drug trafficking, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA). These executions bring the total number carried out in the kingdom this year to 236, based on an AFP tally of official statements.

Yahya Lutfullah, Ali Azib, Ahmed Ali, and Salem Nahari, all Yemeni citizens, were executed in the southern province of Asir for smuggling hashish into the country, as announced by the interior ministry via SPA. In a separate case, a Pakistani man was also executed for drug trafficking, bringing the total number of people executed for drug-related crimes this year to 71.

Saudi Arabia has become a major market for captagon, an addictive amphetamine produced primarily in Syria and Lebanon. The kingdom has intensified its anti-drug efforts over the past year, leading to numerous raids and arrests.

Since the moratorium on the death penalty for drug offenses was lifted two years ago, executions for drug trafficking have risen. Additionally, on Wednesday, two Saudi nationals were executed for murder.

According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia ranked third globally for the highest number of executions in 2023, behind China and Iran. Riyadh's use of the death penalty has been repeatedly criticized by human rights organizations, which argue that it is excessive and inconsistent with the kingdom's attempts to modernize its international image. The Saudi government has defended the use of capital punishment, stating that it is essential for maintaining public order and that sentences are only carried out after all appeals have been exhausted.