Saudi Arabia executes two Bangladeshi nationals over "indecent acts" in Mecca mosque

MECCA — Saudi Arabia has executed a Bangladeshi man and woman convicted of "indecent acts" inside a mosque in Mecca, the Saudi Interior Ministry said. Bangladesh says it was not told in advance, according to reports published on 19 and 20 October 2026.

The Associated Press reported that the ministry cited "the gravity and seriousness of their actions in violating the sanctity of both time and place." The ministry did not elaborate, according to the AP.

Details of the case

The Maravi Post, a Malawi-based outlet, cited a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency. It said the executions took place on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, in the Mecca region. The Maravi Post said the AP, the BBC and Al Jazeera had also reported on the statement. Zenga News has not independently seen the original statement.

According to that account, security authorities arrested the pair, and they were charged and referred to a court. The court found them guilty and sentenced them to death under ta'zir, which the report described as a discretionary form of punishment under Islamic law.

"The verdicts were upheld by the relevant judicial authority before a royal order authorised the executions," the ministry said in the statement, as quoted by the Maravi Post.

The ministry also said the government remains committed to protecting the sanctity of mosques in Mecca and Medina, the Maravi Post reported.

Bangladesh's response

Bangladesh said it was not informed before the sentences were carried out, according to the AP. It has asked Saudi Arabia for information.

The Maravi Post, citing The Daily Star and Gulf News, said the Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah and the Foreign Ministry in Dhaka both said they had no advance notice. It reported that they formally requested details from Saudi authorities. These included the background of the two people and arrangements for their bodies.

The Maravi Post also reported that relatives of the man in Bangladesh denied claims on social media that the two were married. The family said they were not related to each other and had limited prior knowledge of the case. Zenga News could not verify this independently.

What is unconfirmed

The Saudi statement, as quoted, used the term "indecent acts" and gave no further description. The Maravi Post said "multiple international media reports" described the act as sexual intercourse inside the mosque. The AP report available to Zenga News did not specify the conduct, and the claim has not been confirmed by Saudi authorities.

The sources differ on timing. The Maravi Post gives 14 October as the date of the executions. The AP report, published on 20 October, does not state a date.

As of 19 October, the Maravi Post reported, no further official details had been released beyond the Interior Ministry announcement. The ministry has not said whether the two had legal representation or whether they could appeal beyond the court review it described.

Background

The AP summarised the case as part of a wider roundup of Middle East news on Monday. That roundup also covered Israeli police arrests in the West Bank, humanitarian funding in Gaza and Houthi attacks in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Those developments are not linked to the executions.

The identities of the two people were reported by one outlet only. Zenga News is withholding their names pending further confirmation.