politics
March 17, 2026
UN strongly condemns Saudi Arabia: Execution of two Egyptians is unforgivable
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has assessed the execution of two Egyptians in Saudi Arabia on drug-related charges as "unforgivable" and called on the authorities to compensate the families and abolish the death penalty for such offenses.
TL;DR
- UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention calls the execution of two Egyptians in Saudi Arabia "unforgivable".
- The Egyptians were allegedly detained without legal basis and denied a fair trial.
- The UN group urged Saudi Arabia to compensate the families and return the remains.
- The incident suggests a potential systemic problem with arbitrary detentions.
- Human rights organizations report an increase in executions in Saudi Arabia, particularly for drug-related offenses, since a moratorium was lifted in 2022.
- Saudi authorities deny human rights violations, stating the death penalty is for severe crimes and fair trials were provided.