Saudi Arabia’s relentless “war on drugs” has driven an unprecedented wave of executions, with 180 individuals executed between January and June 2025, according to data from Amnesty International and the Saudi Press Agency. This marks a significant escalation from 2024, which saw 345 executions—the highest in over three decades. Of the 1,816 executions recorded from 2014 to June 2025, 597 were for drug-related offenses, with foreign nationals, particularly from low-income backgrounds, disproportionately targeted. In June 2025 alone, 46 executions occurred, 37 for drug crimes, including four Somalis and three Ethiopians executed in a single day for smuggling hashish, highlighting the kingdom’s harsh judicial approach.

The surge is largely driven by tazir, an Islamic legal principle granting judges broad discretion to impose death sentences, even for non-lethal crimes like drug trafficking. This practice persists despite Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s 2022 pledge to limit executions to offenses explicitly mandated by the Quran, such as intentional killing. Amnesty International reports 862 tazir-based executions since 2014, with 118 for drug offenses in the first half of 2025 alone. Foreign nationals, including 155 Pakistanis, 66 Syrians, 33 Egyptians, and 22 Somalis, face heightened vulnerability due to inadequate legal representation, language barriers, and alleged coerced confessions, often without consular support or prior notification to families.

Saudi Arabia’s crackdown targets the booming captagon trade, a synthetic stimulant flooding the Middle East. Over 700 million narcotic pills and 100,000+ kilograms of drugs like methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine have been seized in the kingdom over the past decade. In June and July 2025, authorities intensified efforts, arresting dozens across regions like Riyadh, Hail, and Jazan. Notable operations included the detention of 37 individuals on July 6 for trafficking amphetamines and methamphetamine, and the seizure of 72,715 prescription pills and 70 kilograms of hashish on July 28. These efforts reflect the Crown Prince’s 2023 declaration of a formal “war on drugs,” but critics argue the mass arrests and executions prioritize optics over justice.

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Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, condemn these executions as violations of international law, which restricts the death penalty to “most serious crimes” involving intentional killing. The UN has repeatedly raised concerns about due process, particularly for foreign nationals, with 26 Egyptians still at imminent risk of execution in Tabouk prison. Critics argue that the kingdom’s reliance on tazir and its failure to reform judicial practices undermine Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to project a modern, progressive image. As global scrutiny intensifies, the kingdom faces mounting pressure to align its judicial system with international human rights standards, raising questions about the balance between security and justice in its anti-drug campaign.

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