Saudi Arabia executed two people convicted of terrorism related charges, the interior ministry said Saturday, bringing the total number of executions carried out this year to at least 100, according to an AFP tally.
The ministry鈥檚 announcement posted on social media said the two Saudi nationals had been executed for their involvement in 鈥榯errorism鈥�, including joining a terrorist organisation and attending training camps abroad, where they learned to produce explosives.
鈥楢fter they were referred to the competent court, a ruling was issued confirming the charges against them and ordering their execution as a punishment,鈥� read the statement.
According to an AFP tally, of the 100 people executed this year, 59 were individuals convicted of drug-related crimes, 43 of whom were foreign nationals.
The executions were slammed by advocacy groups.
鈥楢s Saudi Arabia positions itself as a positive diplomatic player, international partners have shown they are willing to turn a blind eye to its gross human rights violations,鈥� Jeed Basyouni from the human rights group Reprieve said in a statement.
鈥楾he consequences? 100 executions and counting since January, more than half of them for non-lethal drug related offences following 345 executions last year,鈥� Basyouni added.
Saudi authorities resumed executions for drug-related offences at the end of 2022 after a hiatus of nearly three years.
According to an earlier AFP tally, at least 338 people were executed last year鈥攏early twice the 2023 figure of 170, and far higher than the previous known record of 196 in 2022.
Last month, rights group Amnesty International criticised what it called an 鈥榓larming surge鈥� in the use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia following a string of executions linked to 鈥榙rug-related crimes鈥�.
Saudi Arabia is one of the world鈥檚 most prolific users of the death penalty.
The kingdom, notorious for beheadings, drew a wave of condemnation from around the world when it executed 81 people in a single day in March 2022.
The country, under de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is spending big on tourist infrastructure and top sports events such as the 2034 World Cup as it tries to diversify its oil-reliant economy.
But activists say the kingdom鈥檚 continued embrace of capital punishment undermines the image of a more open, tolerant society that is central to Prince Mohammed鈥檚 Vision 2030 reform agenda.
The Saudi authorities say the death penalty is necessary to maintain public order and is only used after all avenues for appeal have been exhausted.