24 October, 2024
From the beginning of 2024 until October 24th, Saudi authorities have carried out 20 executions on charges of treason, part of a total of 234 executions this year, marking an unprecedented record. In contrast, death sentences for treason this year have been issued by the Specialized Criminal Court, while in 2023, two individuals were executed on treason charges in military trials—one a colonel, the other a first sergeant. No executions for treason were recorded in 2020 or 2022, while in 2021, three people were executed for treason under discretionary sentences from the Specialized Criminal Court.
This concerning increase in the use of the treason charge adds to numerous indications and questions about the legitimacy and conditions of these trials. Treason is considered one of the vague political charges that lack transparency and human rights oversight, making it a potential tool for further repression and execution. Among those executed in these cases, two were of Yemeni nationality, and the rest were of Saudi nationality. The death sentences for these cases made up 14% of the total executions in 2024.
According to Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, countries that have not abolished the death penalty are obligated to limit its use to the most serious crimes, specifically intentional killings. Furthermore, Article 14 of the same covenant guarantees individuals the right to a fair and public trial before an independent and impartial court, a right that is in doubt in treason cases in Saudi Arabia.
The organization asserts, based on its monitoring of a large number of political cases and its analysis of dozens of judicial rulings issued by the Specialized Criminal Court, that these trials lack justice and independence. They are devoid of transparency and oversight necessary to ensure the protection of individual rights. Testimonies have accumulated, indicating that convictions are based solely on confessions extracted under coercion and torture, leading to death sentences, without judges making adequate efforts to verify these claims, showing complete bias towards the Public Prosecution. This confirms Saudi Arabia's non-compliance with international human rights standards.
The organization points out that these executions are being carried out in violation of international standards, which urge limiting the death penalty to the most serious crimes. The ambiguity surrounding treason charges and their increasing use reflects a pattern of judicial abuse to achieve political ends, in blatant defiance of international obligations to protect the right to life and ensure fair trials.