Saudi Arabia executes 81 people convicted of terrorism and capital crimes

Dubai, March 13, 2022

Saudi Arabia announced on Saturday that it had executed a total of 81 persons convicted of terrorism and capital crimes.

"These individuals, totaling 81, were convicted of various crimes including murdering innocent men, women and children," the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said, quoting the Saudi Ministry of Interior.

"Crimes committed by these individuals also include pledging allegiance to foreign terrorist organizations, such as ISIS, Al Qaeda, and the Houthis, targeting residents in the Kingdom and travelling to regional conflict zones to join terrorist organizations.

"They also include convictions for targeting government personnel and vital economic sites, the killing of law enforcement officers and maiming their bodies, and planting land mines to target police vehicles. Moreover, the convictions include crimes of kidnapping, torture, rape, smuggling arms and bombs into the kingdom," the statement said.

According to it, the 81 individuals were arrested, tried in Saudi courts, through trials overseen by a total of 13 judges over three separate stages of trial for each individual.

"The accused were provided with the right to an attorney and were guaranteed their full rights under Saudi law during the judicial process, which found them guilty of committing multiple heinous crimes that left a large number of civilians and law enforcement officers dead.

"The kingdom will continue to take a strict and unwavering stance against terrorism and extremist ideologies that threaten the stability of the entire world," the statement added.

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