Stops Death Penalty Minors in Saudi Arabia

The Country Has the World’s Highest Rate of Execution

Saudi Arabia Has the World’s Highest Rate of Execution

According to the decision, that was part of the royal decree, stops death penalty minors in Saudi Arabia from completing their sentence. This decision came two days after the announcement made by the Saudi government to ban public floggings. The statement was provided by the Human Right Commission (HRC) on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia has been recorded with being the world’s highest rates of execution, which is applicable by law, for which multiple human rights groups have raised their concerns regarding the fairness and justice during the trials. The people convicted for a death sentence have committed homicide, terrorism, rape, drug trafficking, and armed robberies.

Last year, 187 people were executed in Saudi Arabia for their crimes, for which several concerns have been raised regarding their fairness in trails, as the country follows a strict reform of Islam.

New statement issued for multiple crime’s sentences

Any minor who has previously received a death sentence after being convicted for their crimes in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would now be spending jail time in the juvenile detention facility for 10 years as it has been suggested to increase jail time and stops death penalty minors in Saudi Arabia from receiving their sentence.

This decree is expected to save the lives of at least six individuals who belong to the minority Shia community while being under the age of 18, currently on a death row, accused of being a part of antigovernment protests that are being observed in the country. The appeal to halt the execution of these people was made by the United Nation’s Human rights expert in Saudi Arabia in 2019.

There has been some misunderstanding in the new statement given by the HRC. According to the English version, public flogging is completely banned in any and all areas, but the Arabic version states that flogging is only prohibited in areas where the decision would be made by a judge, but not for the crimes where the penalizing is done by Sharia Law as the country’s government has decided to abolish the practices of flogging, for which the country has previously faced much criticism.

No official statement has been provided by the Ministry of Justice regarding these decisions made by the Saudi government and the Human Rights Commission. These decisions which stop death penalty minors in Saudi Arabia were made possible after the approval of King Salman and the Crown Prince.

Even though the government and HRC stop death penalty minors in Saudi Arabia, there is fear regarding the potential loopholes from which people could benefit. Political prisoners might not be able to take advantage of this situation.

No statement has been provided by the Human Rights Commission regarding those minors who have been sentenced to death as the royal leaders stop death penalty minors in Saudi Arabia.

Criticism on Muhammad Bin Salman

Muhammad Bin Salman, the Crowned Prince of Saudi Arabia, is under heavy criticism regarding the new statement which suggests stopping death penalty minors in Saudi Arabia as he had previously sent multiple human rights defenders, intellectuals, and businessmen to prison.

After the death of journalist and government critic Jamal Khashoggi during Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate in October 2018, it resulted in global condemnation and huge criticism for Muhammad Bin Salman, for which he denied any and all involved in the case.

Later, a United States investigator found reliable evidence that might suggest that the crowned prince of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia might be directly involved in the murder, resulting in a heavy blow to his reputation across the world.

The reforms made by the Human Rights Commission alongside the Saudi government are a result of Muhammad Bin Salman’s effort to eliminate and modernize the ultra-conservative country from its association with Wahhabi Islam.

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