Official data released by the government said 243 people were executed in drug-related cases in 2025 alone, according to AFP's tally. The figures from 2025 mark the second consecutive year Saudi Arabia has set a new record for executions, after authorities executed 338 people in 2024. Saudi Arabia resumed executions for drug offences at the end of 2022, after suspending the use of the death penalty in narcotics cases for around three years. Saudi Arabia is spending big on tourist infrastructure and top sports events such as the 2034 football World Cup as it tries to diversify its oil-reliant economy. Amnesty International began documenting executions in Saudi Arabia in 1990.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha January 01, 2026 10:24 UTC