Rising Threat to Human Rights and Free Speech Activists Facing Execution in Saudi Arabia
Shedding Light on Saudi Arabia's Execution Practices and Human Rights Issues
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International human rights organizations have responded to the alarming rise in the number of human rights activists and advocates for freedom of expression who are facing imminent execution in Saudi Arabia in 2024.
The recent addition of four more human rights activists to the list of Saudi activists sentenced to death has brought the total number to 69. This record increase highlights the growing threat faced by freedom of speech and human rights activists in Saudi Arabia.
Among those at risk are prominent figures such as Salman Al-Oudeh, Awad Al-Qarni, and Ali Al-Omari, who were arbitrarily detained, as well as minors like Abdullah Al-Huaiti, Ali Al-Sabiti, and Hassan Al-Faraj.
Human rights organizations stress that the reported numbers are significantly lower than the actual figures. According to these organizations, in 2023, they were only able to document and verify 3% of the executions carried out in Saudi Arabia.
According to data from the Saudi Ministry of Interior, as reported by official Saudi news agencies such as "WAS," Saudi authorities carried out 172 executions in 2023.
Additionally, it is believed that the actual number of executions in Saudi Arabia in 2022 is more than 15% higher than the figure provided by the Saudi Ministry of Interior. While the Ministry announced 147 executions for that year, there were reports of 81 individuals being executed collectively in a single day.
According to human rights organizations, Saudi Arabia began its first executions in the third month of 2023 and has since maintained an average of 17 executions per month.
In addition to the ongoing executions, it is worth noting the unprecedented decision to carry out death sentences during the month of Ramadan. This is a significant departure from past practices, as executions have not traditionally taken place during this holy month. In Islam, executions are typically avoided during forbidden months, and Ramadan is not considered one of these forbidden months.
This discrepancy raises concerns about the accuracy of reported execution numbers. The official Human Rights Commission has indicated that the actual number of executions in Saudi Arabia in 2022 is 29% higher than what was officially announced by the Saudi government.
In a statement to Amnesty International, the official human rights commission disclosed that Saudi Arabia carried out 196 executions in 2022, while the country's official news agency (WAS) reported only 147 cases. This discrepancy has been highlighted by the European Saudi Human Rights Organization, which has also documented instances of secret executions in Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, the increase in the number of executions of women in Saudi Arabia in 2023, with 6 executions, represents a 3. 4% growth compared to 2022 and a 0. 69% increase compared to 2021.
According to official data, 30 death sentences were handed down by the criminal court for terrorist crimes, with only 8 of these sentences related to murder charges.
Significantly, over 70% of the death sentences issued by the criminal court were deemed disproportionate to the crimes committed based on international laws. There was a lack of proportionality between the crimes and the sentences imposed.
Among the accusations leveled against those sentenced to death, there are charges such as throwing Molotov cocktails, providing shelter and assistance to persecuted individuals, illegally exiting the country, and possessing weapons.
According to the European Saudi Human Rights Organization, the Saudi regime persisted in its practice of detaining the bodies of those executed in 2023. The regime detained the bodies of numerous executed individuals and declined to release them to their families.
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