Saudi Arabia executes two citizens on 'terrorism' charges

The ministry named the two citizens as Fahd bin Saud Al-Shammari and Sami bin Khald al-Mutairi and said they committed criminal acts betraying their country.

Saudi Arabia's interior ministry has announced on Wednesday it executed two citizens convicted of several charges related to "terrorism".

The ministry identified the two citizens as Fahd bin Saud Al-Shammari and Sami bin Khalid al-Mutairi.

The ruling against them became final following an appeal that was then upheld by the Supreme Court and the death sentence was carried out on Wednesday in Riyadh.

They had reportedly "committed criminal acts that involved betraying their country, carrying out acts of terrorism which included shedding of blood, supporting terrorism, disclosing secret information and communicating with terrorist elements to carry out operations which undermine the security of society", the ministry said.

Local media in Saudi Arabia reported the death sentence announcement was made by the ministry and was accompanied by verses from the Quran about not betraying trust.

It also stressed the importance of "preserving the security of the homeland" and emphasised there will be repercussions for anyone who tries to threaten the security of the kingdom.

Juveniles

It comes a day after the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR) found that Saudi Arabia's detention and death sentences against five individuals who took part in protests in the Qatif region in 2011 when they were minors, violated international human rights laws.

The five individuals were identified as Jalal Labbad, Jawad Qureiris, Abdullah al-Derazi, Yusuf al-Manasif, and Hassan al-Faraj.

Three of them - Labbad, Qureiris, and Al-Faraj - were further charged with "terrorism" under the 2014 penal law for crimes of terrorism and its financing.

ESOHR found that the five individuals were not given a warrant when they were arrested and were denied the right to take proceedings before a court to challenge the legality of their detention.

They were also found to have been subjected to long periods of solitary confinement.

The Qatif region, where these protests took place, has long been a flashpoint of tensions between Saudi authorities and the country's Shia minority, which is concentrated in the Eastern Province.

Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia, estimated to make up 10-15 percent of the population, have historically faced systemic discrimination, including restrictions in religious practices, limited access to political representation, and economic marginalisation.

Since the Arab Spring protests in 2011, demonstrations in Qatif have been met with heavy security crackdowns, arbitrary detentions, and mass executions of Shia activists accused of anti-state activities.

According to ESOHR's lead researcher, Duaa Dhaini, Saudi Arabia carried out 345 executions in 2024. Last year also saw the kingdom expand on the range of charges punishable by execution and a sharp rise in the number of women executed.

Human rights abuses

Rights groups have long raised concerns over human rights abuses and executions in Saudi Arabia.

A 2024 report from Human Rights Watch states the kingdom carries out arrests of peaceful dissidents, intellectuals and human rights activists. In some cases, the rights group has documented long prison sentences or terms for people's social media posts.

"Abusive practices in detention centres, including torture and ill-treatment, prolonged arbitrary detention, and asset confiscation without any clear legal process, remain pervasive" the report reads.

The organisation further states that authorities have whitewashed their poor human rights record by hosting big sporting, fashion and entertainment events.

In 2023, Saudi authorities executed Husein Abu al-Khair, a Jordanian citizen, for his involvement in a non-violent drug-related crime.

"Under international law, the death penalty should only be imposed for the "most serious crimes" and in exceptional circumstances; international law explicitly excludes drug offences from such punishment" Human Rights Watch reported.

Source: newarab.com, Staff, February 5, 2025

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