Saudi Arabia executes 170 individuals in 2023

In 2023, Saudi Arabia executed 170 individuals, marking an increase compared to the previous year.

As of December 31, 2023, a total of 170 individuals were executed in the kingdom, in contrast to 147 in all of 2022.

A record of 187 executions had been recorded in 2019.

The latest executions occurred on Sunday and involved Saudi nationals who had been sentenced to death for murder, including two in Tabuk (north), one in Riyadh, and another in Jazan (south), according to statements from the Saudi Ministry of Interior, as cited by the official SPA news agency.

Among the 170 executed since the beginning of the year, 33 individuals were involved in terrorism-related cases, and two were military personnel sentenced for treason.

In 2022, Saudi Arabia executed 147 condemned individuals, with 81 of them executed on a single day, sparking global condemnation.

Human rights advocates have consistently criticized these executions, typically carried out by beheading, but Saudi authorities argue that they are "in accordance with Sharia (Islamic law)" and necessary to "maintain public order." 

Saudi Arabia ranks alongside China and Iran as one of the top three countries globally that carry out the most executions, according to human rights organizations.