17-8-2023 (RIYADH) Saudi Arabia carried out the execution of a United States national on Wednesday (Aug 16), who had been convicted of torturing and killing his father. This marks the 19th foreigner to be executed in the country this year, underlining the Gulf kingdom’s ongoing use of capital punishment.
The execution of Bishoy Sharif Naji Naseef took place in the Riyadh region, as confirmed by the official Saudi Press Agency.
Saudi Arabia’s frequent implementation of the death penalty has been criticized by human rights organizations, which argue that it contradicts the country’s efforts to present a more positive image through its “Vision 2030” reform agenda that targets social and economic transformation.
Naseef, whose age was not provided, was found guilty by a court of beating and strangling his Egyptian father to death, mutilating the body after his demise. Additionally, he was charged with drug use and attempting to murder another individual, as reported by SPA.
While the method of execution was not specified in the report, Saudi Arabia has historically employed beheading as the primary means of carrying out capital punishment.
The United States, a close ally of Riyadh, did not immediately comment on the execution. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel stated that they were aware of the reports and were closely monitoring the situation.
The capital punishment situation in Saudi Arabia has raised concerns globally. According to Amnesty International, the country ranked third in the world for the most executions in the previous year.
Since King Salman ascended the throne in 2015, over 1,000 death sentences have been executed, according to a joint report by the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights and the British-based group Reprieve.
In the current year alone, 91 individuals, including 19 foreigners, have been executed based on AFP’s calculation from state media sources. The executed individuals hailed from various countries such as Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Jordan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Yemen.
The total number of executions announced last year was 147, marking a significant increase from the 69 executions carried out in 2021.
In 2022, executions for drug-related offenses resumed after nearly three years of moratorium. This included a single-day execution of 81 individuals on charges related to “terrorism,” which prompted international outcry.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, King Salman’s son and the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, has repeatedly claimed that the country is reducing the use of executions. In a 2022 interview with The Atlantic magazine, Prince Mohammed asserted that the death penalty had been mostly eliminated, except for cases of murder or those involving threats to multiple lives.
