Global Crackdowns Spark Human Rights Concerns

Saudi Arabia has executed a record number of people for the second year in a row, with at least 347 executions in 2025, according to the UK-based campaign group Reprieve. Most of those executed were convicted of non-lethal drug-related offenses, and many were foreign nationals. Human rights groups have condemned the executions, citing concerns over torture, forced confessions, and the use of the death penalty for minors. The Saudi authorities have not responded to the BBC's requests for comment, but have previously stated that they 'protect and uphold' human rights and that the death penalty is only imposed for the most serious crimes.

More than 240 members of the MS-13 gang were sentenced to hundreds of years in prison in El Salvador for various crimes, including homicides and disappearances. One individual, Marvin Abel Hernandez Palacios, received a 1,335-year prison sentence. The crackdown on gangs is part of President Nayib Bukele's state of emergency, which has led to over 90,000 arrests. Human rights groups have accused the security forces of committing abuses, while the government claims the measures have reduced homicides to historically low levels.

A massive social-services scam in Minnesota, primarily orchestrated by members of the Somali community, may have stolen around $9 billion, nearly equivalent to Somalia's entire economy. The scam involved setting up fake businesses and non-profits to bill federally funded state programs for non-existent services. So far, 92 people have been charged, 57 convicted, and the scheme has sparked a White House crackdown on immigration in Minnesota.

El Salvador has sentenced nearly 250 members of the MS-13 gang to lengthy prison terms, with one individual receiving 1,335 years, as part of the government's crackdown on gangs under a state of emergency. The attorney general's office announced that 248 MS-13 members were sentenced for various crimes, including 43 homicides and 42 disappearances. The crackdown, led by President Nayib Bukele, has resulted in over 90,000 detentions since 2022, with human rights groups accusing the security forces of committing abuses. The MS-13 gang, along with Barrio 18, is responsible for an estimated 200,000 deaths over three decades and has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the US.