Riyadh: The authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) on Wednesday, January 1, executed six Iranians sentenced for drug trafficking.
The executed were identified as:
- Jssim Mohammed Shabani
- Abdul-Ridha Younis Tangasir
- Khalil Shahid Samri
- Mohammed Jawad Abdul-Jalil
- Mahdi Kanaan Ghanemi
- Har Mohammed Shabani.
The Ministry of Interior (MoI) said in a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that the Iranians were executed in Dammam after being convicted of smuggling hashish into the Kingdom.
The smugglers were sentenced to death after their guilt was proven in a competent court. The Supreme Court affirmed the verdict following an appeal and made it final, and a royal order was issued to impose the sentence.
Iran summons Saudi ambassador
The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Saudi ambassador to Tehran, Abdullah bin Saud Al-Anzi, informed him of Iran’s strong protest, and handed him an official memorandum demanding clear explanations for the incidents, according to the Iranian News Agency (IRNA).
It noted that the execution of its citizens “contradicts the general course of judicial cooperation between the two countries.”
Riyadh severed ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked its embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad in protest over Riyadh’s execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
In March 2023, the two countries reached a surprise rapprochement agreement under Chinese sponsorship, ending a rift that had lasted more than seven years between the two countries.
Executions in Saudi Arabia
In 2024, Saudi Arabia executed at least 303 people, a significant increase from the 170 recorded in 2023 and the highest number in decades.
In 2024, Saudi Arabia has executed 117 people for drug trafficking, according to an AFP tally of official figures.
Human rights groups argue that the executions in Saudi Arabia undermine the Kingdom’s efforts to implement social and economic reforms under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “Vision 2030” plan.
Saudi authorities say that they implement the sentences after the accused have exhausted all levels of litigation, stressing that “the Kingdom’s government is keen to establish security and achieve justice” and to “combat drugs.”
