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Saudi Arabia: Capital Punishment

Asked by Bell Ribeiro-AddyLabourForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 18 September 2025UIN 74434

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabian counterparts on its use of capital punishment in (a) non-lethal criminal cases and (b) other criminal cases.

Answered by Mr Hamish Falconer

The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries as a matter of principle, and in all circumstances. Saudi Arabia is well aware of the UK's opposition to the use of the death penalty. We regularly raise our concerns about the use of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities using a range diplomatic channels, at Ministerial level and through our Ambassador and our Embassy in Riyadh.

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