Capital punishment in KSA

Does KSA still use decapitation for capital punishment and if so what statistics?

Yes, Saudi Arabia (KSA) still uses decapitation (beheading) as its primary method for capital punishment. It remains the only country in the world that continues to officially practice this method of execution. [1]

While the kingdom has shifted away from the decades-long practice of carrying out these beheadings in public squares—with executions now taking place privately inside prisons—the judicial system continues to enforce death sentences via a sword. In rarer cases, executions may also be carried out by firing squad. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Execution Statistics & Trends

The kingdom has seen an unprecedented, historic surge in capital punishment, driven largely by the lifting of a 2021 moratorium on drug-related offenses. [1]

• 2025 (Record High): Saudi authorities executed at least 356 people, marking the highest single-year execution total in the country's modern history. [1, 2]
• 2024: Human rights groups recorded between 303 and 345 executions, which previously held the record before 2025. [1, 2, 3]
• Global Ranking: Saudi Arabia ranks as the third-highest executioner globally, trailing only China and Iran. Together with Iran, it accounted for roughly 93% of all recorded executions in the region. [1, 2, 3]

Key Statistical Demographics

According to data compiled by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the Death Penalty Information Center: [1, 2, 3, 4]

• Drug Offenses: Of the 356 executions in 2025, official government data attributed 243 cases to drug-related offenses (such as smuggling amphetamines or hashish), which are categorized as non-lethal crimes under international standards. [1, 2]
• Foreign Nationals: Foreigners—mostly low-income migrant workers, laborers, and fishermen from countries like Egypt, Pakistan, Syria, Ethiopia, and Sudan—accounted for 57% of all executions in 2025. [1, 2, 3]
• Disproportionate Impact: Among the foreign nationals executed in 2025, 94% were killed for non-lethal drug offenses. Human rights organizations frequently highlight severe due process violations in these cases, noting that many defendants are forced into signed confessions without access to legal counsel or translators. [1, 2]