In 2023, Saudi Arabia organised more than 172 executions, up by 15 per cent compared to 2022, and joined Afghanistan and Iran as the leading executioners in the world, according to data from the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR).
One notable development in 2023, is the distinct increase in the number of women executed. Six women were put to death last year, including three Saudi women, one Yemeni, one Ghanaian and one Bangladeshi national.
