Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has executed businessman Saud bin Mohammed bin Ali Al-Faraj after he was convicted on terrorism-related charges linked to protest in Qatif during the Arab Spring.
In a post on X, the Ministry of Interior said on Wednesday, April 1, that the death sentence was carried out in the Eastern Province following a royal order, after the ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court.
Authorities said Al-Faraj was found guilty of joining a foreign terrorist organisation, forming a militant cell, financing and supporting attacks, harbouring suspects, and manufacturing explosives and weapons. The court ordered his execution as a discretionary (ta’zir) punishment under Islamic law.
The ministry said the move reflected the government’s commitment to maintaining security, ensuring justice, and enforcing Islamic law against those who threaten public safety. It also warned that similar acts would face strict legal consequences.
Al-Faraj, reported to be in his 40s, had denied the charges, alleging he was tortured into confessing and subjected to prolonged solitary confinement. Rights groups, including the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights, said he had been detained since 2019 and that his wife was briefly detained.
He was among hundreds who took part in protests in 2011 in the Eastern Province, where demonstrators called for political reforms, the release of detainees, and an end to alleged discrimination against the Shia minority.
The execution marks the first reported use of the death penalty in a terrorism-related case in 2026 after a pause since January.
In December 2025, the kingdom executed three citizens convicted of terrorism-related offences, including killing a security personnel member, injuring another, attacking security facilities, manufacturing explosives, and possessing weapons. In the same month, a Yemeni national was also executed after being convicted on similar charges.
Saudi Arabia has faced sustained international criticism over its use of capital punishment, with reports indicating a sharp rise in executions in recent years despite ongoing social reforms under Mohammed bin Salman.
