Relatives share with the Guardian final words of those killed amid ‘horrifying’ surge in capital punishment under Mohammed bin Salman’s rule
In the city of Tabuk in the far north of Saudi Arabia, neon lights flicker on in an overcrowded ward of a prison marking the start of a new day.
The prisoners are waiting. When the guards enter, they know someone is about to be taken away. An execution squad of about 20 guards will approach an inmate quietly, whisper something in their ear and escort them out. Some break down in tears, others simply ask for forgiveness.
This is the fate of hundreds of foreign nationals who have been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for non-violent drug crimes, some for allegedly trafficking drugs for the promise of just a few hundred dollars.
Over the past four months, the Guardian has been speaking to family members of a group of Egyptian migrants held in Tabuk, the notorious “death” prison. They describe forced confessions, torture and an inability to afford lawyers to defend themselves.
