The five men—Mohammed bin Munir bin Mohammed Al‑Zaher, Ali bin Abdulrab Al‑Hussein Al‑Sheikh, Hassan bin Zaki bin Mohammed Al‑Faraj, Rida bin Mohammed bin Ali Al‑Abdullah and Ali bin Hassan bin Ahmed Al‑Rih—were convicted of joining a foreign terrorist organization, opening fire on security forces and providing support for terrorist operations inside the kingdom. Their sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court, and royal orders were issued for execution. The killings took place in the Eastern Province, a region largely inhabited by the Shia minority that has long complained of marginalisation.
Since January, Saudi Arabia has carried out 15 executions on terrorism convictions, a steep decline from 40 such executions in 2025. The latest five bring the total number of people put to death in 2026 to 188, according to an AFP tally.
The Ministry of Interior cited Quranic verses condemning corruption and violence, stressing that those who wage war against God and spread disorder will face consequences. It warned that any attack on security forces or violation of others' safety will be met with the full force of the law. The executions come as Riyadh continues to confront missile and drone attacks from Yemen's Houthi rebels.