Six Iranian nationals have been executed in Saudi Arabia for their involvement in drug trafficking, according to a report by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Wednesday, January 1. The executions took place in Dammam, located on the kingdom’s Gulf coast, with the individuals convicted of “clandestinely introducing hashish” into the country. The exact date of the executions was not disclosed by the Saudi authorities.
Iran summoned the Saudi ambassador on Wednesday to protest against Riyadh’s execution of six of its citizens for drug trafficking, the foreign ministry said.
“Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Tehran was summoned,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that Tehran conveyed its “strong protest” against Riyadh’s action, which it described as “unacceptable” and a violation of “the rules and norms of international law”.
The Saudi Government places a high priority on combating narcotics abuse and trafficking. Since 1988, the Saudi Government imposed the death penalty for drug smuggling and dealing. However, Saudi officials acknowledge that domestic drug abuse and trafficking have increased.
On the other hand , Iran raised in January 2018, the amount of drugs in possession that triggers the death penalty from a mere 30 grams of heroin, morphine, and cocaine, and 5kg of cannabis and opium, to more than 50kg of opium, 2 kg of heroin, and 3 kg of crystal meth. The change allowed around 5,000 people on death row to have their cases reviewed, with the prospect of having their sentences commuted to imprisonment or fines. The death penalty for marijuana possession and trafficking has been completely eliminated. And in the spirit of marijuana-legalizing times, a 2015 proposal even sought to decriminalize opium and marijuana and introduce state-controlled cultivation.
The former Syrian regime of Bashar al Assad and the Iranian backed Hezbollah of Lebanon were reportedly the number one smugglers to Saudi Arabia of Fenethylline , a drug that is marketed for use as a psychostimulant under the brand names Captagon. Several factories of Captagon were reportedly destroyed after Assad , key ally of Iran and Hezbollah was overthrown , by Syrian rebels