Saudi Arabia carried out 330 executions in 2024, marking the highest annual figure in decades. This sharp increase contrasts with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's 2022 claim that the death penalty would be limited to murder cases under his vision for a reformed and modernized kingdom.

The kingdom is investing billions in its Vision 2030 plan to revamp its global image from a nation known for stringent religious laws and human rights concerns to a hub for tourism and entertainment. Despite these efforts, the rise in executions, documented by the human rights organization Reprieve and verified by Reuters, is a stark departure from the 172 executions in 2023 and 196 in 2022. Reprieve stated this year's tally is the highest ever recorded.

“This so-called reform is built on a foundation of record-high executions,” said Jeed Basyouni from Reprieve. The Saudi government maintains that its measures aim to safeguard national security and denies allegations of human rights violations.

Over 150 individuals were executed for non-lethal offenses in 2024, a practice that human rights groups argue violates international law. Many of these cases were linked to alleged drug trafficking, including the smuggling of Captagon pills, primarily from Syria. Others faced execution for non-lethal terrorism charges, which rights groups claim are often used against protesters and government critics.

The executed individuals included more than 100 foreign nationals from regions such as the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The Saudi government declined to respond to Reuters' inquiries regarding these figures.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), who assumed power in a 2017 palace coup, has faced global condemnation for his crackdown on dissent and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. While the kingdom has maintained that Khashoggi's murder was carried out by a rogue group, MBS has admitted ultimate responsibility as the leader of the country.

Despite initial isolation by Western governments after Khashoggi’s death, relations have thawed. U.S. President Joe Biden, who vowed to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" during his 2020 campaign, visited the kingdom in 2022.

Critics have accused Saudi Arabia of executing minors and extracting confessions through torture. While public executions by sword were once routine in town squares, these areas have since been transformed into vibrant hubs for cafes and restaurants, masking the nation's ongoing repression.

Families of death row inmates, speaking anonymously for security reasons, told Reuters they faced significant challenges navigating the Saudi legal system. A relative of a foreign national accused of drug smuggling claimed the individual was merely fishing near the coast and lacked legal representation. Another family member reported attending court sessions for over three years without hearing concrete evidence against their loved one.

Reuters was unable to independently verify these accounts.

In a 2022 interview with The Atlantic, MBS stated that the death penalty had been eliminated for all but murder cases, citing its basis in Islamic law, which he claimed he could not override.