Saudi Arabia has executed 17 individuals in the span of just three days as part of its fast-paced “zero tolerance” policy on drugs.
According to Arab media, two Saudi nationals were executed on Monday for terrorism-related offenses. Over the weekend, 15 others were executed — 13 for smuggling hashish and one for cocaine.
Amnesty International reports that Saudi Arabia executed 46 individuals in June 2025 alone, 37 of whom were convicted of drug-related crimes.
The Saudi government maintains that capital punishment is enforced only after all legal appeals have been exhausted and serves the purpose of national security and curbing drug trafficking.
Since the beginning of 2025, a total of 239 executions have been carried out, including 161 for drug offenses. Among those, 136 were foreign nationals.
Notably, in 2022, Saudi Arabia executed 81 people in a single day for terrorism charges, and in 2016, 47 people were executed simultaneously — moves that drew global criticism.
These recent executions are the result of Saudi Arabia’s intensified anti-narcotics campaign launched in 2023. Many of those now facing capital punishment were arrested one or two years ago.
