Saudi Arabia | Executions on Charges of Treason: Ambiguity and Escalation

From the beginning of 2024 until October 24th, Saudi authorities have carried out 20 executions on charges of treason, part of a total of 234 executions this year, marking an unprecedented record. In contrast, death sentences for treason this year have been issued by the Specialized Criminal Court, while in 2023, two individuals were executed on treason charges in military trials—one a colonel, the other a first sergeant. No executions for treason were recorded in 2020 or 2022, while in 2021, three people were executed for treason under discretionary sentences from the Specialized Criminal Court.

This alarming rise in the use of treason charges adds to numerous questions and concerns about the legitimacy and circumstances of these trials. Treason is one of the most ambiguous political charges, lacking transparency and human rights oversight, which makes it a potential tool for excessive repression and killings. The figures point to a significant increase in the use of this charge, one that has not been subject to human rights monitoring or media coverage. Given the lack of trust in Saudi courts and the absence of transparency, the rapid expansion of this charge suggests its use as a political tool for excessive repression and executions without regard for compliance with international agreements and laws. These require countries that still implement the death penalty to restrict its use to the most serious crimes, which refers exclusively to premeditated murder.

According to Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, countries that have not abolished the death penalty are obligated to limit its use to the most serious crimes, specifically intentional killings. Furthermore, Article 14 of the same covenant guarantees individuals the right to a fair and public trial before an independent and impartial court, a right that is in doubt in treason cases in Saudi Arabia.

The organization asserts, based on its monitoring of a large number of political cases and its analysis of dozens of judicial rulings issued by the Specialized Criminal Court, that these trials lack justice and independence. They are devoid of transparency and oversight necessary to ensure the protection of individual rights. Testimonies have accumulated, indicating that convictions are based solely on confessions extracted under coercion and torture, leading to death sentences, without judges making adequate efforts to verify these claims, showing complete bias towards the Public Prosecution. This confirms Saudi Arabia's non-compliance with international human rights standards.

The organization points out that these executions are being carried out in violation of international standards, which urge limiting the death penalty to the most serious crimes. The ambiguity surrounding treason charges and their increasing use reflects a pattern of judicial abuse to achieve political ends, in blatant defiance of international obligations to protect the right to life and ensure fair trials.

Source: ESOHR, Staff, October 24, 2024

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