Saudi Arabia Executes 330 in 2024, Highest in Decades Despite MbS's Vision 2030

Dec 24, 2024, 03:18 PM

Saudi Arabia executed at least 330 people in 2024, marking the highest annual total ever recorded, as reported by the human rights NGO Reprieve and verified by Reuters. This figure represents a sharp increase from the 172 executions in the previous year and is the highest number in decades. The executions occurred despite Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's 2022 assertion that the death penalty would be limited to murder cases under his vision for a new open kingdom, known as Vision 2030. More than 150 of these executions were for non-lethal crimes, including drug smuggling and terrorism charges, which rights groups argue contravene international law. The total includes over 100 foreign nationals from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.