Saudi Arabia executed 48 people so far this year: HRW

Last month, the reformist crown prince and de facto Saudi Arabia leader Mohammed bin Salman told Time magazine the kingdom would limit the number of executions. However, he said the death penalty would not be limited for those convicted of murder.

"We are working for two years through the government and also the Saudi parliament to build new laws in that area. And we believe it will take one year, maybe a little bit more, to have it finished," Salman added.

HRW has criticised Saudi Arabia for the executions, particularly over non-violent crimes. 

"It's bad enough that Saudi Arabia executes so many people, but many of them have not committed a violent crime," said Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East director. "Any plan to limit drug executions needs to include improvements to a justice system that doesn't provide for fair trials."

Saudi Arabia has carried out nearly 600 executions since 2014, with over 200 as drug cases. Most of the rest were for murder, but also included other crimes such as rape, incest, terrorism, and "sorcery".

Death sentences for murder in Saudi Arabia are typically based on qisas, an eye for an eye. But a 1987 fatwa ruled that the death penalty was suitable for any "drug smuggler".

The Arab Charter of Human Rights, which Saudi Arabia ratified, demands that countries limit the use of execution for only the "most serious crimes".

Worldwide, only China and Iran executed more people last year than Saudi Arabia. 

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