[8][9] The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet noted the extremely broad Saudi definition of terrorism, which generically includes nonviolent persons in opposition to the ruling government in addition to those espousing atheism or any religion other than Wahhabi Islam.
[11] The interior ministry claimed in a statement, the crimes perpetrated by these men include committing loyalty to foreign terrorist organizations, such as the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and the Houthi movement and murdering innocent people.
37 of those executed were Saudi nationals who were convicted of one count of trying to assassinate government employees, smuggling weapons into the country, and targeting police stations, vital economic locations, and convoys.
[13] Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud said that the country was reforming the judiciary and restricting the use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
[16] On 23 December 2022, The Daily Telegraph stated in a letter to James Cleverly signed by MPs the party including David Davis (British politician), Hilary Benn, Peter Bottomley, Andy Slaughter and Alistair Carmichael: Saudi Arabia may carry out a mass execution during the Christmas.