Saudi Arabia executes two men, one arrested as a child

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia has executed two men convicted of terrorism-related offences in the Eastern Province, including Jawad Qureiris, whose case dates back to when he was a child.

The executions took place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, after the Supreme Court upheld their death sentences, the Ministry of Interior said.

The two men were identified as Jawad bin Abdullah bin Ali Qureiris and Fadel bin Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Safwani, both Saudi nationals.

The ministry accused them of joining a foreign terrorist organisation, opening fire on security personnel and vehicles, possessing weapons and explosives, and providing financial support for operations inside the Kingdom.

Qureiris’ execution has drawn criticism from human rights groups because some of the allegations against him relate to his teenage years.

London-based rights group Reprieve said Qureiris was arrested in December 2020 over alleged involvement in protests and organising activities on social media. He was 14 at the time of some demonstrations during the 2011-12 Arab Spring.

The organisation alleged that he was tortured and forced to make a false confession.

Reprieve also said his family had faced repeated action by Saudi security forces. His elder brother was killed during protests in 2011, while two other brothers received lengthy prison sentences.

Jeed Basyouni, head of Reprieve’s Middle East and North Africa death penalty projects, condemned the executions and raised concerns over the use of capital punishment against people accused of offences committed as children.

The organisation said Saudi Arabia had executed five men since August 2025 who were minors at the time of their alleged crimes. All belonged to Shia families in the Eastern Province.

Human Rights Watch also raised concerns over executions carried out in the province last month, saying one of the men had been convicted of offences committed when he was 14.

The Eastern Province is home to most of Saudi Arabia’s Shia Muslim population.

According to an AFP tally, Saudi Arabia has executed 211 people so far in 2026. Of these, 17 were convicted of terrorism-related offences, compared with 40 such executions throughout 2025.

Amnesty International ranked Saudi Arabia as the world’s third-largest executioner between 2022 and 2025, after China and Iran.

Saudi authorities maintain that the death penalty is necessary to protect public security and that executions take place after judicial proceedings and the completion of appeals.

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