UN Experts Urge Saudi Arabia to Halt Executions of Egyptians Amid Growing Concerns Over Death Penalty Practices

UN experts expressed grave concerns over Saudi Arabia’s apparent reversal of an informal moratorium on the death penalty for drug-related offenses, which had been in place since 2021.

UN human rights experts have raised alarm following the execution of three Egyptian nationals in Saudi Arabia on December 3, 2024, and have called for an immediate halt to the impending executions of three more individuals, including Egyptians and Jordanians.

The three individuals still facing execution include Rami Gamal Shafik al-Najjar and Ahmed Zeinhom Omar, both Egyptian nationals, and Adnan al-Shraydah, a 60-year-old Jordanian who is reportedly suffering from serious health conditions and inadequate medical care in prison. The two Egyptians are among 28 other Egyptian nationals on death row in Tabouk prison. They were transferred to an execution cell on November 27 and have allegedly been forced to witness other executions while awaiting their own fate.

Concerns Over Saudi Arabia's Resumed Death Penalty Practices

UN experts expressed grave concerns over Saudi Arabia’s apparent reversal of an informal moratorium on the death penalty for drug-related offenses, which had been in place since 2021. The experts pointed out that foreign nationals, who make up a significant portion of those on death row for drug crimes in Saudi Arabia, are often not informed of their execution dates in advance and face severe legal vulnerabilities. The experts also emphasized the lack of adequate legal safeguards for foreign nationals, including access to consular assistance and fair trials.

In 2024, foreign nationals have accounted for 75% of executions related to drug offenses, and the experts highlighted that trials involving foreign nationals often fall short of international standards of fairness. The majority of the 33 Egyptian nationals sentenced to death for drug-related crimes this year were reportedly subjected to judicial processes that lacked transparency and fairness.

Call for Abolition of the Death Penalty for Non-Violent Crimes

The UN experts also condemned the continued use of the death penalty in cases where the accused have not been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The experts warned that executing individuals without conclusive evidence of guilt constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of life, violating fundamental human rights.

With 304 executions in Saudi Arabia so far in 2024, the experts called on the authorities to urgently review all death row cases, particularly those involving foreign nationals, and to commute sentences where appropriate. They also urged the Saudi government to take immediate legislative steps to abolish the death penalty for crimes that do not involve intentional killing, noting that there is no evidence to suggest that the death penalty serves as an effective deterrent to crime.

Previous Appeals and Urging Protection of the Right to Life

The UN experts have previously raised their concerns with the Saudi Arabian government, urging them to provide information on measures taken to protect the right to life of foreign nationals facing execution. They reiterated their call for an immediate halt to the executions and emphasized the need for Saudi Arabia to comply with international human rights standards and ensure fair trials for all individuals, particularly foreign nationals, facing the death penalty.

The experts also noted that Saudi Arabia's use of the death penalty for drug-related offenses has come under increasing scrutiny, particularly as it affects foreign nationals who are often subjected to trials that lack basic procedural safeguards.