August | 2014 | First One Through

Many countries in the Middle East have legal systems that enforce the death penalty in non-violent crimes and matters that have no victim at all such as apostasy (conversion from Islam) and homosexuality. Many of those countries have public executions, condemn minors and encourage the public to view and participate in the murder (in the case of stonings).

Israel is the only country in the region to not carry out the death penalty for any person in the past 50 years.

Number of people executed (2012):

Iran: 314+
Saudi Arabia: 82+
Iraq: 68+
Yemen 28+
Somalia 10
Sudan 7+
Palestinian Authority: 6
South Sudan 5
Syria 1 (thousands in Civil War not included)
UAE 1

80% of Iranian executions are for drug offenses

Executed Minors (under 18 years old):

Iran
Saudi Arabia

Most of the minors in Iran are killed for drug offenses

Judicial Method of Execution

Bahrain: Shooting
Egypt: Hanging
Ethiopia: Shooting
Iran: Hanging, often in public (floggings often before the hanging); stoning (women buried to the neck, men to the waist)
Iraq: Hanging; shooting
Jordan: Hanging.
Kuwait: Hanging; shooting
Lebanon: Hanging (civilian court); shooting (military court)
Libya: Shooting
Palestinian Authority: Hanging
Qatar: Stoning
Saudi Arabia: Beheading (often in public); hanging; stoning
Somalia: Shooting; stoning
Sudan: Hanging; stoning; crucifixion afterwards for armed robbery
Syria: Hanging (civilian court); shooting (military court)
UAE: Shooting; stoning
Yemen: Shooting (vast majority); stoning. Post execution public crucifixion allowed for three days

Stoning is used for cases of adultery

Man stoned in Somalia for adultery

Public Executions

Iran
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
Yemen

Saudi Arabia publicly beheads a nanny,
January 2013

Reason for Capital Punishment [last execution]

Bahrain: premeditated murder; treason [2010]
Egypt: rape; murder; treason; drug trafficking [2014]
Ethiopia: murder; treason; genocide [2007]
Iran: adultery; homosexuality; murder; armed robbery; drug trafficking; kidnapping;rape; paedophilia; apostasy [2014]
Iraq: drug dealing; rape; terrorism [2014]
Israel: Crimes against humanity [1962]
Jordan: Murder [2006]
Kuwait: drug trafficking; rape; murder [2013]
Lebanon: murder [2004]
Libya: treason; premeditated murder [2010]
Oman: murder; drug trafficking [2007]
Palestinian Authority: murder; collaboration [2014]
Qatar: treason; apostasy [2003]
Saudi Arabia: drug trafficking; homosexuality; atheism; apostasy; adultery; rape; armed robbery; witchcraft; murder [2014]
Somalia: homosexuality; murder; adultery [2014]
South Sudan: murder; treason; drug dealing [2013]
Sudan: Homosexuality; apostasy; prostitution; treason; murder; armed robbery; smuggling [2013]
Syria: speaking against the government; rape; membership in Muslim Brotherhood; drug trafficking [2014]
UAE: drug trafficking; rape; treason; armed robbery [2014]
Yemen: homosexuality; adultery; apostasy; murder [2013]