The Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties unequivocally condemns the ongoing, systematic execution of Shia youths and minority detainees in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an egregious violation of fundamental human rights and international law. We express grave concern over the recent reports that Saudi authorities have continued to execute Shia men, including several arrested as minors, while steadfastly withholding the bodies from their families — a cruel act that compounds the suffering and violates universally accepted human dignity.
Data confirm that, in 2025 alone, Saudi Arabia has executed around 180 individuals within the first half of the year, a pace that may soon eclipse the record-breaking 345 executions in 2024. Alarmingly, a significant majority – approximately 70% – of these executions were for non-lethal offenses, mainly drug-related crimes, and not the “most serious crimes” that international human rights law permits as grounds for capital punishment. Foreign nationals disproportionately bear the brunt of this state-sanctioned violence, constituting over 43% of those executed this year.
In this context, the deliberate targeting and disproportionate sentencing of the Shia minority, including at least six individuals who were minors at the time of their arrest, represent both sectarian discrimination and flagrant breaches of due process. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has repeatedly condemned these death sentences as arbitrary and illegitimate, highlighting extensive evidence of torture, denial of legal guarantees, and sham trials.
The Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties recalls that multiple executions carried out following unfair trials, often shrouded in secrecy, violate the core principles of justice enshrined in international conventions. As Duaa Dhainy of the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights explained,
“The trials are often secretive, and families are threatened, leaving many unaware of executions until they occur.”
This systemic suppression of information and communication perpetuates a climate of fear and repression in the kingdom.
Furthermore, the inhumane practice of withholding the bodies of executed Shia prisoners — with estimates exceeding 200 unreleased corpses — constitutes psychological torture inflicted on grieving families and communities. Such acts violate cultural and religious rites and international human rights protections relating to the respect of the dead and the family’s right to closure.
The international community and diplomatic partners can no longer afford silence or complacency. As noted by Jeed Basyouni from the human rights organization Reprieve,
“As Saudi Arabia positions itself as a positive diplomatic player, international partners have shown they are willing to turn a blind eye to its gross human rights violations… 100 executions and counting since January, more than half of them for non-lethal drug related offences following 345 executions last year.”
This selective blindness undermines the integrity of global human rights mechanisms.
The Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties urges immediate international action to halt all executions in Saudi Arabia, in particular those affecting marginalized groups such as the Shia minority and foreign nationals who suffer systemic discrimination. We demand transparency in judicial proceedings, access to fair trials, and the cessation of practices violating basic human dignity, including the return of all withheld bodies to their families.
The Council further calls upon the United Nations, the European Union, and all governments committed to democracy and human rights to increase diplomatic pressure on Riyadh. Enhanced oversight and binding accountability measures within bilateral and multilateral relations are essential to curtail these severe abuses.
Saudi Arabia’s harsh use of capital punishment, especially based on ta’zir discretionary rulings despite Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s 2021 promises of reform, exemplifies a dangerous persistence of arbitrary state violence. Until genuine reforms are implemented—starting with the abolition of the death penalty for non-lethal crimes and full adherence to international legal safeguards—the kingdom’s execution spree will continue to stain global justice.
The Geneva Council for Rights and Liberties stands in solidarity with the victims, their families, and all defenders of human rights in Saudi Arabia. We reiterate our commitment to tirelessly advocate for justice, dignity, and the sanctity of human life everywhere.
