Saudi Arabia has executed journalist Turki Al-Jasser nearly seven years after his arrest over alleged corruption-related social media posts criticising members of the royal family.
The Saudi Press Agency confirmed the execution on Saturday, stating the kingdom’s highest court upheld his death sentence. Al-Jasser had been detained since 2018 when authorities raided his home, seized his devices, and accused him of running an anonymous X (formerly Twitter) account targeting the ruling elite, according to AP.
While Saudi courts convicted Al-Jasser on terrorism and treason charges, human rights groups maintain the case was politically motivated to suppress dissent.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that authorities linked Al-Jasser to posts alleging royal family corruption and discussing militant groups. CPJ Program Director Carlos Martínez de la Serna condemned the execution, stating, “The international community’s inaction after Jamal Khashoggi’s murder empowered Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to escalate press persecution.”
The execution has drawn comparisons to the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul. US intelligence implicated the Saudi crown prince, though Saudi officials deny his involvement.
Known for commentary on the Arab Spring, women’s rights, and corruption, Al-Jasser actively blogged between 2013–2015 as a reform advocate. Details of his trial remain undisclosed, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s opaque judicial system, frequently criticised in political cases.
Saudi Arabia faces ongoing global scrutiny for its high execution rates, with rights groups recording 330 cases in 2024 alone. Al-Jasser’s execution follows other notable prosecutions, including the 2021 sentencing of US-Saudi citizen Saad Almadi for U.S.-posted tweets. Almadi, released in 2023, remains barred from travel.