The European Union condemned recent executions in Saudi Arabia and other countries. In a statement delivered by EU Ambassador Lotti Knudsen during the first interactive dialogue of the 56th session of the Human Rights Council on June 19, 2024, she expressed concern over the use of the death penalty in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Knudsen voiced the EU's concern regarding restrictions imposed on fundamental freedoms, particularly freedom of expression and association, as well as the shrinking space for civil society in several countries in this region.
Since the beginning of 2024, Saudi Arabia has announced the execution of 81 death sentences, including 17 by the notoriously harsh Specialized Criminal Court for Terrorism cases, where defendants faced charges not considered most severe under international law. Additionally, death sentences were issued against three individuals in drug-related cases. According to monitoring by the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, at least 70 individuals, including 9 minors, are facing death sentences, with many charged for exercising legitimate rights.