Saudi Arabia human rights record: more executions for political prisoners
A recent report by Amnesty International on the state of human rights in Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia: Highest execution toll in decades as authorities put to death 198 people
Saudi Arabian authorities have put to death over 198 individuals so far in 2024, the highest number of executions recorded in the country since 1990, Amnesty International said today.
Despite repeated promises to limit the use of the death penalty, Saudi authorities have ramped up executions while routinely failing to abide by international fair trial standards and safeguards for defendants. Executions for drug-related crimes soared this year, with 53 carried out so far – with an average of one execution every two days in July alone – rising from just two drug-related executions in 2023. Authorities have also weaponised the death penalty to silence political dissent, punishing citizens from the country’s Shi’a minority who supported “anti-government” protests between 2011 and 2013.
“Saudi Arabia’s authorities are pursuing a relentless killing spree displaying a chilling disregard for human life while promoting an empty-worded campaign to rebrand their image,” said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.
“The death penalty is an abhorrent and inhuman punishment which Saudi Arabia has used against people for a wide range of offences, including political dissent and drug-related charges following grossly unfair trials. The authorities must immediately establish a moratorium on executions, and order re-trials for those on death row in line with international standards without resorting to the death penalty.”
Executed for supporting “anti-government protests”
On 17 August 2024, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) announced the execution of Abdulmajeed al-Nimr, a retired traffic police officer, for terrorism-related offences related to joining Al-Qaeda. However, his court documents tell another story about his charges, which are related to his alleged support for “anti-government” protests in Saudi Arabia’s Shi’a majority Eastern Province.
Saudi Arabia’s authorities are pursuing a relentless killing spree displaying a chilling disregard for human life while promoting an empty-worded campaign to rebrand their image.
Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International
According to the court document reviewed by Amnesty International, he was initially sentenced by the Specialized Criminal Court to nine years in prison on 25 October 2021 on charges of “seeking to destabilize the social fabric and national unity by participating in demonstrations … supporting riots, chanting slogans against the state and its rulers”, as well as “dissenting against the decision to arrest and prosecute wanted individuals”, and joining a WhatsApp group that included individuals wanted for security purposes. Upon appeal, his punishment was increased to a death sentence. The Specialized Criminal Court did not make a single reference to Al-Nimr’s involvement with Al-Qaeda. The discrepancy in the charges announced by the Saudi Press Agency and Al-Nimr’s court documents shows a striking lack of transparency in judicial proceedings of death penalty cases.
After Al-Nimr’s arrest on 28 October 2017 he was denied access to a lawyer for around two years during his interrogations and pre-trial detention. He spent three months in detention without being informed of the reason for his arrest.
According to a court document, Al-Nimr’s conviction was based solely on a “confession” he said was obtained under duress, including being detained in solitary confinement for a month and a half.
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