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| Saudi Arabia: Darkness at Noon |
3 Saudi juveniles remain on death row, 1 year after the UK began seeking
'assurances' that they would not be executed.
Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher, Ali al Nimr, and Dawood al-Marhoon were aged 15, 17
and 17 respectively when they were arrested for allegedly taking part in
protests in the country's eastern province. All 3 face beheading after they
were sentenced in the secretive Specialised Criminal Court, on the basis of
'confessions' they signed following torture. Last September, the death
sentences of the 3 were upheld, and they could now be executed at any time.
The UK has a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, and for the past year, the
UK Foreign Office has sought regular 'assurances' from the Saudi government
that the three would not be executed. Last month, Foreign Office Minister
Tobias Ellwood told Parliament: "our expectation remains that they will not be
executed."
However, the 3 juveniles remain on death row, and their families say that they
fear the executions could go ahead without warning. Speaking to Channel 4 last
month, Ali al Nimr's father, Mohammed al Nimr, said that his son was "waiting
to be called" to the "execution square."
Concerns for the 3 juveniles have been heightened by recent reports of other
rights abuses in the country. Earlier this week, it was reported that the Saudi
authorities had executed a member of the royal family for the 1st time in 40
years; while Saudi blogger, Raif Badawi, is said to be facing a new round of
'lashes' as part of a flogging sentence handed down for his criticisms of the
government.
The British government has so far stopped short of calling for the 3 juveniles'
death sentences to be scrapped - something that other governments, such as
France, have done. Human rights organization Reprieve has written to the Prime
Minister, Theresa May, asking her to request that Saudi Arabia commute the
sentences.
In January this year, several juveniles were among 47 prisoners executed en
masse in the Kingdom. They included Ali al-Ribh, a teenager from the Eastern
Province who, like Ali, Abdullah and Dawood, was arrested in school in the wake
of protests. Last week, a UK Foreign Office minister said that she was
"horrified" by news of the mass execution.
Commenting, Maya Foa, a director of Reprieve, said:
"It's appalling that Ali al Nimr, Abdullah al-Zaher and Dawood al-Marhoon could
be beheaded at any moment for the so-called 'crime' of attending a protest.
Saudi Arabia's 'assurances' that they won't execute these 3 boys count for
nothing when the Kingdom has continued to behead juveniles and other prisoners,
many of whom were tortured into bogus 'confessions.' Theresa May must call
urgently for these death sentences to be scrapped."
Source: Reprieve, October 21, 2016
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