RIYADH – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has announced execution of another two individuals for drug trafficking, as this year tally soared to 106.
Lately, a Saudi national and a Pakistani were executed in Makkah, KSA resident got capital punishment for trafficking amphetamines and Pakistani citizen comes under axe in heroin case.
The Arab nation started drug-related executions in late 2022 after a nearly three-year hiatus. Out of the 106 executions this year, seven were for drug-related crimes.
In 2023, the kingdom executed at least 170 people, including 33 for terrorism-related offenses. By this time last year, 74 people had been executed.
European-Saudi Organisation for Human Rights criticized Saudi Arabia, stating that carrying out one execution nearly every two days represents a significant use of the death penalty, contrary to international laws and the kingdom’s official commitments.
This year’s executions included 78 Saudis, eight Yemenis, five Ethiopians, seven Pakistanis, three Syrians, and individuals from Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Jordan, India, and Sudan, with two of the executed being women.
Saudi Arabia’s execution rate in 2023 was second only to China and Iran, according to Amnesty International. The kingdom, known for its beheadings, faced global criticism after executing 81 people in a single day in March 2022.
While Saudi authorities argue that these executions are necessary to uphold Sharia law and public order, critics argue that such practices undermine the kingdom’s efforts to present a more progressive image under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/16-Jul-2024/saudi-arabia-executes-pakistani-national-for-heroin-smuggling
