Pakistanis top list of foreign nationals executed for drug offenses in Saudi Arabia.
In a surprising twist, a new report by Amnesty International has revealed that Saudi Arabia has executed 155 Pakistani nationals for drug-related offenses over the past ten years.
The report revealed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has put nearly 600 people to death for such offenses since 2014.
Of those executed for drug-related crimes, three-quarters were foreign nationals, including citizens from Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Nigeria, and Egypt.
Between January 2014 and June 2025, Saudi Arabia executed 1,816 people, with almost one in three executions carried out for drug offenses.
Out of 597 people executed for drug crimes during this period, 155 were Pakistani nationals.
The report highlights that these offenses do not meet the threshold for capital punishment under international human rights law.
Record executions in 2024
In 2024, Saudi Arabia carried out a record 345 executions. From January to June 2025, 180 people have already been executed, including 46 in June alone.
Of those executed in June, 37 were for drug-related offenses, and 34 were foreign nationals from countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, and Syria.
Amnesty International, along with partner organizations, documented cases of 25 foreign nationals—including Pakistanis—who are either on death row or have been executed for drug offenses.
The report shed light on the fact that many of these individuals came from humble backgrounds, had limited education, and faced significant barriers to legal representation and consular support.
Some reported being subjected to torture or ill-treatment to extract confessions, which were then used as evidence in court.
The report also notes that families of those executed often learnt of the executions through unofficial channels and were denied the right to receive the bodies for burial, a practice condemned by UN bodies as a form of ill-treatment.
Abolishing death panelty
Amnesty International has urged for an immediate ban on executions in Saudi Arabia, urging authorities to abolish the death penalty and commute all existing death sentences.
