Saudi Arabia executed a woman convicted of shooting her mother dead and attempting to murder her sister, the country’s Ministry of Interior said on Sunday, October 18.
The woman, identified by authorities as Sahar bint Faisal bin Fayyad Al-Hanini Al-Harbi, was a Saudi national. The crime took place in the Al-Qassim region of central Saudi Arabia, according to the ministry.
In a statement, the ministry said the execution was carried out because of the serious nature of the crime and what it described as a grave act of disobedience towards a parent.
Court documents stated that Sahar murdered her mother, Amal bint Tulaihan bin Sa’noun Al-Harbi, by shooting her and desecrating her body. She was also convicted of attempting to kill her sister.
Following her arrest, authorities investigated the case and formally charged her with the offences. A court subsequently found her guilty and imposed the death penalty.
The ruling became final after the appeals process. Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court upheld the sentence, and a royal order was issued authorising its enforcement under Islamic law, according to the ministry.
The government said it remained committed to maintaining public security, delivering justice and enforcing Sharia rulings against individuals who attack others, take innocent lives or violate people’s right to safety.
The ministry also warned that those found guilty of such crimes would face the punishments prescribed under Islamic law.
Recent Executions in Saudi Arabia
The execution comes amid a series of death sentences carried out in the kingdom in recent days.
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia executed five nationals convicted of terrorism-related offences, including joining a foreign terrorist organisation, opening fire on security forces and providing support for terrorist operations inside the country.
Since January, 15 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia following terrorism convictions, most of them in the eastern part of the kingdom, compared with 40 such executions during 2025.
On October 15, the kingdom also executed two Bangladeshi nationals, identified as Nazrul Islam Abdul Basir and Siti Akhtar, for an act of indecency inside a mosque in the holy city of Makkah.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the two were arrested following the incident, investigated and charged before being referred to the competent court. The court upheld the charges and imposed the death penalty, citing the seriousness of the offence and the violation of the sanctity of the religious site.
Saudi Arabia maintains that capital punishment is necessary to preserve public order and says death sentences are enforced after the appeals process has been exhausted.
Amnesty International has ranked Saudi Arabia as the world’s third-largest executioner between 2022 and 2025, behind China and Iran. The figures reflect continued international scrutiny of the kingdom’s use of capital punishment.
