2015 has been a record year for many things - mass shootings in America, Warriors' winning streak, global terrorist attacks, warmest temperatures, and last but not least beheadings in Saudi Arabia [3]. As we previously noted, with 151 executions year-to-date, new King Salman has already overtaken his predecessor's 2014 total of 90, and, as Reprieve.org details [4], is about enter the all-time record books with the mass execution of 52 prisoners (including juveniles). Of course, given Saudi Arabia's propaganda machine and US media charm offensive [5], it is highly unlikely any mainstream media outlet will cover such potential abuses (just don't mention 9/11, ISIS funding, or Saeed Farook).
Amnesty International warns that "it is clear that the Saudi Arabian authorities are using the guise of counter-terrorism to settle political scores."
But it is worse, as Reprieve.org details [4],
The government of Saudi Arabia is preparing to execute some 52 prisoners at once, including several juveniles arrested at protests, according to reports.
Several Arabic media outlets have this week reported official sources as saying that 52 prisoners are set to be executed in the near future. The reports appear to suggest that among those executed will be six youths arrested at protests in the country’s Eastern Province – including juveniles Ali al Nimr [6], Dawoud al-Marhoon [7] and Abdullah al-Zaher. All three were tortured into bogus ‘confessions’ that would be used to convict them.
The reports say the 52 prisoners – all of whom were convicted in the secretive Specialized Criminal Court – will be executed across nine different cities in the Kingdom in a single day. They suggest that preparations for the executions will be made in the next two weeks. It appears that Sheikh Nimr – Ali’s uncle and an outspoken critic of the Saudi government – is among those set to be executed.
Sheikh Nimr and the juveniles are currently understood to be held in isolation, awaiting execution. All have reportedly recently been given an unexplained medical examination, and there are concerns that this could be a prelude to their being executed at any time. Abdullah – who was 15 when arrested – has recently been moved to a prison some 1,000km from his family, who are now unable to visit him.
The news comes amid outrage at separate plans by the Saudi authorities to execute Ashraf Fayadh [8], a Palestinian poet who was convicted of ‘apostasy.’ There have been widespread calls for the execution to be halted, including from the Palestinian Authority. Recent research [9] by international human rights organization Reprieve has found that a large majority of those facing execution in Saudi Arabia were convicted of non-violent offences such as apostasy and political protest.
Commenting, Reprieve caseworker Kate Higham [10] said:
“These plans are deeply alarming, and should prompt revulsion and condemnation from Saudi Arabia’s allies. It is grotesque in the extreme for the Saudi authorities to suggest executing 52 people at once – among them three juveniles, arrested at protests, whose convictions were ‘secured’ through torture. The US, the UK, and others must urgently intervene, and tell the Saudis there is nothing to be gained from this bloody wave of executions.”
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For over a decade, Saudi Arabia has ranked among the top five executing countries in the world. This trend shows no sign of stopping. As of October 2015, 138 executions had already been recorded, a sharp increase on the 90 executions reported in 2014.
Reprieve’s recent report, Justice Crucified: the Death Penalty in Saudi Arabia [11], found that 72% of those facing execution in Saudi Arabia were sentenced to death for non-violent offences, including attendance at political protests and drug offences.
Click here to read the report [11]
Other crimes that are punishable by death include adultery, blasphemy and sorcery. Execution methods include beheading, ‘crucifixion’ (which involves beheading followed by public display of the body), firing squad and stoning.
