Saudi Arabia Carries Out New Executions, Approaching 300 in 2024

On Saturday, November 30, 2024, Saudi authorities executed Mohammed bin Dhafer bin Thamer Al-Amri and Abdullah bin Khidr bin Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, citing terrorism-related charges without providing concrete evidence. As usual, these accusations were based on claims frequently used by Saudi authorities to justify executions of political activists and dissidents, without transparent trials or clear facts.

The number of executions carried out by Saudi Arabia in 2024 has now approached 300, the highest annual count in the kingdom’s history. Among those executed was Dhafer Al-Shahri, whose death, according to the human rights organization SANAD, was reportedly due to a tweet expressing his opinion.

SANAD strongly condemns these executions, considering them part of an escalating trend of state-sanctioned killings under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s leadership. The organization emphasizes that these executions often result from trials lacking international standards of justice, showcasing how the judicial system is weaponized to suppress dissent and intimidate society. SANAD also highlights the systematic fabrication of charges, a practice confirmed by multiple human rights reports, including those issued by SANAD.

SANAD calls on the international community and human rights organizations to take a firm stand against these repeated human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. The organization urges global actors to pressure Saudi authorities to halt arbitrary executions and ensure fair trials for all accused. It is imperative that these cases are investigated with full transparency, presenting concrete evidence before independent courts, free from political influence.