On 1 March 2023, the Saudi Ministry of Interior published a statement, announcing the implementation of death sentences against four people. Three days later, and on 4 March, the official news agency published two official statements announcing the implementation of two death sentences, the first Harabah death penalty, and the second Taazir death sentence.
The six rulings are the first rulings recorded since the beginning of 2023. And it comes more than three months after the publication of the last Taazir execution carried out in a case related to drug charges.
The European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights indicates that, during the period between November 23, 2022, and March 1, 2023, it did not monitor any official news about the implementation of death sentences. However, information from various sources confirmed the execution of secret death sentences and without an official announcement, as is customary.
According to the data issued by the Ministry of the Interior, the four Saudis, who were executed on 1 March, were accused of "breaking into the victim's apartment, breaking its door to assault him, which led to him escaping from them by jumping out of the window and falling on his head, kidnapping him and putting him in the trunk of the car by force and taking him to a far place out of sight, and they beat him with their hands and feet, tore off his clothes, and threw him naked, which resulted in his death. These charges show that the four defendants did not directly kill the victim by using a weapon, and this shows that there is an expansion in the use of the Harabah sentence in issuing death sentences.
In addition, the statement of the Ministry of the Interior on March 4 announced the execution of Muhammad bin Abd al-Razzaq bin Saad Faydi with a Harabah sentence, after he was convicted of charges including assaulting and intentionally killing a security man, and entering and setting fire to an oil facility to detonate it. In May 2006, the official Saudi media published news about the arrest of a suspect with the same name, accused of shooting at facilities, and said he was mentally ill. The sixth verdict was also issued against a Saudi citizen with a Taazir ruling, and these rulings are issued at the discretion of the judge.
ESOHR believes that the six executions that were carried out at the beginning of March show confusion in the execution file about the type of sentences and broken promises. It points out that in light of the lack of transparency in the Saudi government's handling of the death penalty file, and light of the deep-rooted flaws in the judiciary and the systematic practice of torture, ill-treatment, and others, no verdict issued by it can be trusted.
ESOHR considers that the recent executions raise serious concerns about Saudi Arabia's return to the rapid pace of execution of sentences, as it carried out 186 sentences in 2022. It also expresses its concern that the executions are a prelude to the start of implementing sentences against demonstrators, minors and others accused of charges related to the exercise of legitimate rights. According to ESOHR monitoring, at least 65 detainees are at risk of execution, including 9 minors.