Switzerland expressed concern about Saudi Arabia's resumption of executions for drug offences.
During the discussions of the fourth item of the 52nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, on 22 March 2023, the representative of Switzerland, George Lauber, called on Saudi Arabia to reactivate this moratorium.
Switzerland urged Saudi Arabia to set controls on the death penalty and to ensure that it is limited to the most serious crimes.
In November 2022, Saudi Arabia returned to implementing the death penalty for drug crimes, 22 months after it stopped. Despite the condemnation of the United Nations Special Rapporteurs, the executions continued, including the Jordanian citizen Hussein Abu al-Khair.