Saudi Arabia executed 330 individuals this year, marking the highest annual total in decades, Reuters reported on Tuesday.
This figure contrasts sharply with de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman's 2022 claim that the death penalty had been restricted to murder cases under his vision for a modernized and open kingdom.
According to a tally compiled by human rights organization Reprieve and verified by Reuters, the 2024 execution total is a significant increase from 172 executions in 2023 and 196 in 2022. Reprieve described this year’s figure as "the highest ever recorded."
Of the executions carried out this year, more than 150 were for non-lethal offenses, a practice rights groups argue contravenes international law. These cases primarily involved alleged drug smuggling, amid a surge of amphetamine-like Captagon from Syria, as well as non-lethal terrorism charges, which rights groups claim are often used against individuals involved in anti-government protests.
Over 100 of those executed were foreign nationals from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, according to the tally, which is in line with an AFP tally released last month.
The Saudi government communications office did not respond to detailed questions from Reuters regarding the execution figures.
Saudi Arabia has long faced international criticism for its frequent use of the death penalty. Rights groups argue that such practices clash with efforts to improve its global image and attract tourists and investors.
According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia ranked third globally in 2023 for the number of executions, following China and Iran.