Jan. 13 (UPI) — Saudi Arabia executed 184 people in 2019 the most in six years, human rights organization Reprieve said on Monday.
Of those executed, 88 were Saudi nationals, 90 were foreign nationals and 6 were of unknown nationality, Reprieve said in a statement.
“This is another grim milestone for Mohammed Bin Salman’s Saudi Arabia,” Reprieve director Maya Foa said. “The Kingdom’s rulers clearly believe they have total impunity to flout international law when it suits them.”
On April 23, 2019, Saudi Arabia executed 37 people in a single day, including three people who were children at the time of their alleged offenses.
At least three other juvenile defendants remain on death row, facing imminent execution.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman said the regime plans to restrict the scope of the death penalty by limiting the number of capital offenses and introducing alternative punishments such as life imprisonment, in an April 2018 interview.
Reprieve said the number of executions has instead continued to rise under his rule with four executions already having taken place in 2020.
Foa also condemned the fact that Saudi Arabia will host the 2020 G20 summit after assuming the host role from Japan late in 2019.
“A country that tortures and executes children should be a pariah state not preparing to host the next meeting of the G20,” said Foa.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.