Saudi Arabia has executed over 100 foreigners in 2024, a sharp increase from previous years, according to an AFP tally. The executions have already broken a record, with the highest number of foreigners executed in one year. Human rights groups have criticized Saudi Arabia's use of the death penalty as excessive and out of step with efforts to improve its international image. The high number of executions contradicts statements by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who claimed that the death penalty had been eliminated except in murder cases or when there is a threat to many lives. The majority of executions this year have been for drug-related crimes.