Saudi Arabia has executed 101 foreign nationals this year, including 21 Pakistanis, marking a record high for such sentences, according to a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP) citing the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights (ESOHR).

This unprecedented figure highlights a sharp increase compared to previous years, where 34 foreigners were executed in 2022 and 2023 combined.

The executions have raised concerns about the kingdom’s strict penal system and the challenges faced by foreign prisoners in accessing justice.

The ESOHR report states that the executed foreigners include nationals from Pakistan, India, Yemen, Syria, Nigeria, Egypt, Jordan, and Ethiopia.

The kingdom’s judicial system has faced criticism from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, which ranked Saudi Arabia as the third-highest executor globally in 2023, following China and Iran.

In one notable case, a Yemeni citizen was executed on November 16 in Najran for drug trafficking.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior has also reported recent executions of two citizens for terrorism and treason, accusing them of joining a terrorist organization and threatening national security.

Rights groups continue to urge reforms in Saudi Arabia’s judicial system, stressing the need for fair trials and better access to legal representation for foreign nationals.