Saudi Arabia’s rapid escalation of executions, which have reportedly been carried out in the past by beheading, could see the country break its grim record of 186 killings throughout the whole of 2019
Saudi Arabia has already slaughtered 120 prisoners in the first six blood-soaked months of 2022.
In the first half of the year, the Gulf country’s execution rate spiked – returning the amount of people put to the sword to pre-Covid levels.
Rights groups fear the rapid escalation of death penalties, which have reportedly been carried out by beheading in the past, could see the country break its grim record of 186 killlings throughout the whole of 2019.
The 120 people killed between January and June represents an 80 per cent increase when compared to all executions carried out during 2021, and more than during 2020 and 2021 combined.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights has slammed the country’s justice system, claiming it has betrayed promises to reduce torture and killings in its penal system.
The ESOHR says the lack of transparency in the system meant that they only learned of the killings after they’d taken place.
In its report, the group drew attention to a mass beheading of 81 criminals on March 12 – when more than 70 per cent of the victims were killed for their involvement in non-fatal crimes.
Of the total number killed, 41 men – over 50 per cent – were slaughtered for taking part in pro-democracy demontrations.
