Riyadh: Saudi authorities put two people to death Monday to reach 17 in three days, state media said, as the conservative kingdom accelerated towards a record number of executions this year. Two Saudis were executed for “terrorist crimes”, the official Saudi Press Agency reported, following the execution of 15 people, mostly foreigners, for drug offences on Saturday and Sunday.

According to France24.com, this marks the quickest pace of capital punishment since March 2022, when 81 individuals were executed in a single day for terrorism-related offences, an act that drew widespread condemnation. This year’s executions include 161 for drug offences and 136 involving foreigners, based on an AFP tally of official data.

Jeed Basyouni of the Reprieve rights group recently highlighted a “significant rise in executions for hashish-related drug offences, with foreign nationals making up most of these executions.” She expressed concern over the global trend toward decriminalizing the possession and use of hashish, a sentiment she shared with AFP.

Analysts attribute the increase in executions to the kingdom’s “war on drugs” launched in 2023, with many individuals first arrested now facing execution after completing legal proceedings. Saudi Arabia resumed executions for drug offences at the end of 2022, following a suspension of nearly three years.

The kingdom maintains that it only carries out death sentences after defendants have exhausted all avenues of appeal, asserting that executions are intended to ensure security and deter drug offenses. However, activists argue that the ongoing use of capital punishment contradicts the image of a more welcoming society, which is a central element of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda.