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Friday | October 23, 2026 | Dhaka

KSA executes 59 foreigners in first half of 2026

 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:07 AM, 23 October 2026
71 people were executed for drug crimes

At least 108 people, including nationals of Bangladesh and 16 other countries, were executed in Saudi Arabia during the first six months of 2026, according to statistics compiled by the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR).

Of those executed between January and June, 59 were foreign nationals, accounting for nearly 54 per cent of the total, while the remaining 49 were Saudi citizens, the organisation reported.

The figures highlight Saudi Arabia’s continued extensive use of capital punishment, with foreign nationals accounting for a substantial proportion of those executed.

According to ESOHR, drug-related offences accounted for the largest share of executions during the period.

A total of 71 people were executed for drug-related crimes, representing around 66 per cent of the 108 documented cases.

Another 25 people were executed for homicide, while nine were put to death in political and security-related cases. Three executions were recorded for other offences.

Of the 108 executions, 83 were carried out for offences that did not involve homicide, according to the report.

Meanwhile, 84 cases involved ta’zir, a category of punishment determined at judicial discretion under the Saudi legal system.

ESOHR also found that information about the cases was unavailable before the executions in 91 instances, raising concerns over transparency and access to information about death row prisoners.

Foreign nationals account for most drug-related executions
Foreign nationals made up a significant proportion of those executed for drug-related offences.

Of the 71 people put to death for such crimes, 49 were foreign citizens, according to the organisation’s findings.

The executed foreign nationals represented 17 nationalities, including Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Somalia, Egypt, Nigeria, Benin, Iraq, Kuwait, Kenya, Uganda and Afghanistan.

The figures indicate that drug-related offences remain the leading category of crimes resulting in executions in Saudi Arabia.

Concerns over due process and death row prisoners
ESOHR raised concerns about alleged violations of the rights of prisoners facing capital punishment, including inadequate legal representation, the absence of professional interpreters and difficulties understanding court proceedings.

The organisation documented several groups of foreign nationals awaiting execution in Saudi prisons, including 58 Ethiopians at Khamis Mushait prison, five Ethiopians and five Somalis at Najran prison, and eight Egyptians at Tabuk prison.

It also reported that at least five people remained at risk of execution for alleged offences committed when they were children.

In addition, 49 people sentenced in cases involving peaceful expression of opinion were reportedly at risk of execution.

The organisation called attention to cases in which United Nations bodies had raised concerns about the legality of detention or called for the protection of individuals facing the death penalty.

Two Bangladeshis executed in October
The latest executions have also drawn attention in Bangladesh.

Two Bangladeshi nationals, identified as Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Siti Akhtar, were executed in Saudi Arabia after being convicted of committing what authorities described as an immoral act inside a mosque in Mecca.

The Saudi Press Agency, citing the country’s Ministry of Interior, reported their executions on October 14.

According to reports, the cases were investigated and referred to court, which imposed the death penalty under the ta’zir provisions of Sharia law, citing the seriousness of the offence and the sanctity of the mosque.

Calls for greater transparency
ESOHR said Saudi Arabia continued to carry out executions at a high rate despite international criticism and concerns over fair trials, alleged torture, discrimination and limited transparency.

The organisation also raised concerns about the country’s compliance with international human rights commitments, including those relating to torture and the rights of children.

The figures for the first half of 2026 underscore the scale of capital punishment in Saudi Arabia and the risks faced by foreign nationals, including Bangladeshis, who are subject to the country’s criminal justice system.