Saudi Arabia executes 108 people in first half of 2026

Saudi Arabia carried out 108 executions between January and June 2026, according to a report by the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR). Foreign nationals accounted for 54 per cent of these executions, totaling 59 individuals from 17 different countries, including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Sudan, and Yemen.

Drug-related offenses were the primary driver for capital punishment, representing approximately 66 per cent of all executions. Of these drug-related cases, 49 were carried out against foreign citizens.

In a separate recent incident, Saudi authorities executed a Bangladeshi man and woman following allegations of indecent acts in a mosque in Mecca. The couple was sentenced under ta’zir, a form of discretionary punishment under Islamic law. Bangladeshi authorities reported they received no prior notification regarding this specific execution.