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Saudi Arabia

Monthly Event Reports

December 2023 | At least 170 executions carried out in 2023

Saudi Arabia executed four individuals on 31 December, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency. This event marked the culmination of the deadliest month for executions in the country, with a total of 38 carried out in December 2023. Overall, the kingdom executed 170 people in 2023, a rise from the 147 convicts executed the previous year. The 2023 executions included 33 individuals accused of terrorism-related offenses and two soldiers found guilty of treason. However, rights group Reprieve estimates the actual number of executions could exceed 172, as it believes some may not have been publicly disclosed. Despite facing criticism from human rights activists for its frequent use of capital punishment, Saudi Arabia asserts that these executions are in line with sharia law and are necessary to uphold public order.

August 2023 | Mass killing of migrants at Yemen-Saudi border

A report released by Human Rights Watch on 21 August accused Saudi security forces of conducting ‘widespread and systematic’ killings of hundreds of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers at the Yemen-Saudi Arabia border. The report uncovers a pattern of lethal force used by Saudi authorities between March 2022 and June 2023, suggesting that these actions could potentially amount to crimes against humanity. The report alleges that Saudi border guards fired small arms, light weapons, and explosive weapons at migrants attempting to cross from Yemen into Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the victims were reportedly subjected to sexual abuse, physical violence, torture, and arbitrary detention. Despite these serious allegations, the Saudi government has dismissed them as baseless, asserting that they are not grounded on credible sources The border region has become a primary transit point for people from the Horn of Africa aiming to reach Saudi Arabia, with many depending on traffickers and thereby becoming vulnerable to violence. While the exact number of victims is still unclear, the report suggests that the actual number of those killed and injured may be higher than reported.

February 2023 | Number of executions has increased under the reign of King Salman

A report by the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR) and by Reprieve published in February revealed a concerning increase in the number of executions in Saudi Arabia, with the past six years among the worst in the country’s modern history. Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty has drastically increased since King Salman and Crown Prince (and Prime Minister) Mohammed bin Salman came to power in 2015. The annual rate of executions has grown from an average of 70.8 executions per year between 2010-2014 to an average of 129.5 executions per year between 2015-2022 – an increase of 82 per cent. Despite extensive reforms and recent efforts to modernize the country, the new data show that international human rights law continues to be routinely violated in Saudi Arabia. The report notes that the death penalty is used by the new government to repress political opposition and silence dissidents.

January 2023 | More rights and opportunities for Saudi women

Several milestones were recorded in January for women’s inclusion and empowerment. Gender equality has been advanced most notably in the laws surrounding traffic, travel documentation, civil status, labour and social insurance. Nevertheless, despite the reforms and opportunities joining the labour market, women in Saudi Arabia still face several forms of discrimination on a legal and social level and the Saudi government continues to target and repress women's rights activists and movements.

Rights (+1)

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GSoD Indices Data 2013-2022

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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
35 340 680
System of government
Absolute Monarchy
Head of government
Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (since 2015)
Head of government party
Not applicable
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
No direct elections
Women in lower or single chamber
19.9%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
Appointed
Head of state
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Selection process for head of state
Hereditary or election by hereditary state rulers
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
05/11/2018
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
70.54%
Population Tooltip
35 340 680
System of government
Absolute Monarchy
Head of government
Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (since 2015)
Head of government party
Not applicable
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
No direct elections
Women in lower or single chamber
19.9%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
Appointed
Head of state
King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Selection process for head of state
Hereditary or election by hereditary state rulers
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
05/11/2018
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
70.54%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
No Action
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
No Action
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
No Action
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
No Action
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
No Action
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
Arab Charter on Human Rights
State Party
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Performance by category over the last 6 months

Representation neutral Representation
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Representation neutral Rights
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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Representation
Representation
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
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/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
Rule of Law
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Annual value

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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