Rare Execution Carried Out by Saudi Arabia during the Holy Month of Ramadan

On March 28, Saudi Arabia executed a man during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is a rare occurrence according to the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR). The execution took place in the Medina region, which includes Islam’s second holiest city. The official Saudi Press Agency reported that the man put to death was a Saudi national who had been convicted of murder. The ESOHR stated that no sentences have been implemented during Ramadan since 2009 in the kingdom, which is one of the world’s most prolific executioners. The organization said that the Ramadan case brought to 17 the number of death sentences carried out this year. In 2021, Saudi Arabia executed 147 people, more than double the previous year’s figure of 69, and last year saw the resumption of executions for drug crimes. Since King Salman assumed power in 2015, more than 1,000 death sentences have been carried out, according to a report published earlier this year by British-based Reprieve and ESOHR. The kingdom has often carried out death sentences by beheading. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview with The Atlantic magazine that the kingdom “got rid of” the death penalty except for cases of murder or when someone “threatens the lives of many people.”