LONDON -- Saudi Arabia is seeking a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council in a vote scheduled for Oct.9, hoping to reverse its 2020 failure to win a spot on the 47-seat body.The kingdom will do so having set a new record high in annual executions in 2024; a sobering statistic human rights groups are highlighting as nations consider who to vote into the U.N.
body, whose mission is the "promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe."The Saudi Human Rights Commission declared in an English-language statement in 2020 that "no one in Saudi Arabia will be executed for a crime committed as a minor, in accordance with the Royal Order of March 2020."The royal order never transpired, and the Arabic-language version of the declaration noted a death penalty ban only for some nonviolent crimes, like drug offenses.Riyadh continued its executions, including those of people charged for offenses allegedly committed while they were minors.This photo shows a general view at the opening of the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland on Sept.9, 2024.Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty ImagesVision2030 -- the transformative vision of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, colloquially known as MBS -- committed to "a vibrant society in which all citizens can thrive and pursue their passions."MBS' manifesto was widely interpreted to hint at social liberalization, something the Saudi HRC's apparent death penalty moratorium appeared aligned with.But actions taken during the four years since then appear to indicate Saudi Arabia remains committed to capital punishment.
Between January and Oct.4, Riyadh executed 206 people per the state-run Saudi Press Agency, surpassing the high of 196 set in 2022.
Of this year's tally, 85 were executed for non-lethal offenses, including 59 for drug crimes.This year is now the bloodiest for Saudi death row prisoners in 30 years.Saudi authorities did not respond to ABC News' requ...