Saudi Arabia Executes Three Citizens in the Second Politically Motivated Mass Execution Since Early 2026

Saudi authorities carried out the execution of three Saudi citizens on Sunday, January 18, in a mass execution described as taʿzīr (discretionary), marking the second mass execution since the beginning of 2026. This brings the number of politically motivated executions to six within less than one month.

According to a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Interior, the authorities executed Hussein Al-Omari, Saud Al-Enzi, and Bassam Al-Subaie on alleged charges related to terrorism and joining a terrorist organization. However, the authorities did not specify the nature of the alleged organization nor provide any details regarding the acts attributed to them.

SANAD Human Rights Organization affirms that Saudi authorities are well known for fabricating and falsifying charges in political cases, where broadly defined “terrorism” accusations are used to criminalize peaceful expression of opinion, particularly on social media platforms. In previous cases, citizens have been executed or sentenced solely for tweets or views critical of government policies.

According to the Interior Ministry’s statement, the three individuals were executed under taʿzīr, meaning the sentences were issued based on the judge’s personal discretion and interpretation rather than on definitive religious texts. This grants the judiciary wide latitude to politicize rulings and use them to eliminate political opponents, undermining the most basic standards of justice and legal safeguards.

It is noteworthy that this mass execution is the second during the first month of 2026, following another taʿzīr execution carried out on January 7 against three other citizens.

Saudi Arabia recorded its highest number of executions on record last year, with 356 executions carried out in a single year, including 45 politically motivated executions, among them a journalist. This reflects an unprecedented escalation in the use of the death penalty to suppress dissent and silence independent voices.

SANAD Human Rights Organization calls for the immediate halt of all executions in Saudi Arabia, urging the international community and relevant UN mechanisms to fulfill their legal and moral responsibilities by exerting pressure on Saudi authorities to stop these grave violations, ensure respect for the right to life and freedom of expression, and hold those responsible for crimes committed against citizens—chief among them Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—accountable.