Saudi Arabia hits 100 executions this year, most tied to drug offenses

Seven people were executed in Saudi Arabia on the latest day, five of them for drug trafficking, bringing the total number of executions since the start of the year to 100, according to the French news agency AFP.

Of the 100 executions, 65 involved drug‑related offenses and 52 were foreign nationals, including 12 Ethiopians, seven Pakistanis, six Sudanese, four Yemenis and four Syrians. Amnesty International warned that many of the death sentences are handed down after what it described as “highly unfair trials,” and it highlighted that at least 63 Ethiopians remain in prison awaiting execution.

The surge follows the end of a roughly three‑year moratorium on death sentences for drug cases. Saudi Arabia, a major market for the amphetamine‑type drug captagon produced in Syria and Lebanon, now ranks third worldwide in the number of executions over the past four years, behind China and Iran. The Saudi authorities argue the death penalty is necessary to maintain public order, while international human‑rights groups continue to criticize its frequent use, especially against foreigners.