PENALTY:Saudi Arabia aligned within a year towards 175 people

The Saudi kingdom executed more people criticized Amnesty International. Even minor offenses can lead to death - even for many foreigners.

25 August 2015 02:50 clock2 Comments

Das Ha'er-Gefängnis südlich von Riad in Saudi-Arabien (Archiv)

The Ha'er prison south of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia (Archive) | © Faisal Al Nasser / Reuters

Every other day an execution: Saudi Arabia has put to death, according to Amnesty International at least 175 people in the past twelve months. The human rights organization published a 43-page report, entitled "Killing in the name of justice: The death penalty in Saudi Arabia", in which at least 2,208 executions between January 1985 and June 2015 speech. These are, on average, more than 72 per year. Almost half of those convicted were therefore foreigners.

According to calculations by The Associated Press, the Kingdom taught since January 109 people out - throughout 2014 there had been only 83rd The statements are based on official announcements of executions.

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Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law. The death penalty for numerous crimes, including for murder, rape and drug trafficking. Almost a third of those executed were convicted of drug offenses. Some Saudi courts were convicted for adultery, "apostasy" or "witchcraft" executed. Persons who have become delinquent as minors, may also threaten death.

"Saudi Arabia's erroneous legal system allows judicial executions on a mass scale," the director of Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa program, said Said Boumedouha. In most executions, the condemned are beheaded, according to Amnesty, but some are also carried out by firing squad. In some cases, the bodies were publicly displayed in port.

Amnesty also reported that nearly half of those executed the last 30 years came from abroad. Many of them had not spoken Arabic and therefore had problems in understanding the legal proceedings and penalties. A translator was denied in part.

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