Saudi Arabia has executed eight individuals in a single day, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA), marking a dramatic escalation in the kingdom’s use of the death penalty—particularly for drug-related offences.

The executions, carried out in the southern region of Najran, included four Somali and three Ethiopian nationals convicted of smuggling hashish into the country. In a separate case, a Saudi citizen was executed for the murder of his mother.

This brings the total number of executions in 2025 to at least 230, based on an AFP tally of official announcements—154 of them linked to drug-related convictions. The current pace suggests the kingdom could surpass its 2023 record of 338 executions by year’s end.

The surge is widely associated with Saudi Arabia’s intensified “war on drugs,” launched in 2023. Many of those now facing execution were arrested during the early phase of the crackdown and have since completed legal proceedings.

Saudi Arabia had suspended executions for drug offences for nearly three years, but reinstated them in late 2022. That year, 19 people were executed for narcotics charges, followed by two in 2023 and 117 in 2024.

Human rights activists argue the kingdom’s use of capital punishment contradicts the progressive image it seeks to promote under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform plan. Nevertheless, Saudi authorities maintain that the death penalty is essential for preserving public order and is only imposed after all legal appeals have been exhausted.

The continued rise in executions—especially for non-violent drug crimes—raises serious questions about justice, reform, and human rights within one of the world’s most scrutinized legal systems.