Saudi Arabia must immediately halt execution of children –
UN rights experts urge
GENEVA (22 September 2015) – A group of United Nations human
rights experts* today urged the Government of Saudi Arabia to halt the
execution of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, who was convicted for a crime reportedly
committed as a child. He may be executed at any time.
“Saudi Arabia may so far this year have executed at least
134 people, which already represents 44 more than the total for the whole of
last year,” they noted. “Such a surge in executions in the country makes Saudi
Arabia a sad exception in a world where States are increasingly moving away
from the death penalty.”
Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, a high school student, was arrested in
2012 by the Saudi authorities when he was 17 for his participation in Arab
Spring protests in Qatif, Eastern Province. During his arrest and detention, he
was reportedly subjected to torture and ill treatment by the General
Investigation Directorate, which coerced him to confess the charges against
him. “Confessions obtained under torture are unacceptable and cannot be used as
evidence before court,” the experts stressed.
“Any judgment imposing the death penalty upon persons who
were children at the time of the offence , and their execution, are
incompatible with Saudi Arabia’s international obligations,” they said, while
recalling the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Saudi Arabia
is a party.
In May 2015, the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) sentenced
Mr. al-Nimr to death, for, inter alia, joining a criminal group and attacking
police forces, after proceedings which fell short of international standards,
and confirmed its sentence in September.
“Mr. al-Nimr did not receive a fair trial and his lawyer was
not allowed to properly assist him and was prevented from accessing the case
file,” the independent experts said. Reliable information indicates that even
the appeal undertaken by his lawyer was heard without any prior notification
and treated with a complete disregard for international standards.
“International law, accepted as binding by Saudi Arabia,
provides that capital punishment may only be imposed following trials that
comply with the most stringent requirements of fair trial and due process, or
could otherwise be considered an arbitrary execution,” they stated.
“In light of reports that the trial against Mr. al-Nimr fell
short of such standards, we call upon the Saudi authorities to ensure a fair
retrial of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, and to immediately halt the scheduled
execution,” the experts added.
It is reported that at least two other individuals who were
children at the time they were arrested for their participation in the protests
in Qatif in 2012 were also sentenced to death. They are at risk of an imminent
execution.
“We urge the Saudi authorities to establish a moratorium on
the use of the death penalty, halt executions of persons convicted who were
children at the time of the offence, and ensure a prompt and impartial
investigation into all alleged acts of torture,” the experts underscored.
(*) The experts: Christof Heyns, UN Special Rapporteur on
extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Juan E. Méndez, UN Special
Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment; and Benyam Mezmur, current Chairperson of the UN Committee on the
Rights of Child.
ENDS
The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the
Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest
body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name
of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that
address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of
the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not
UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from
any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity. Learn
more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/SP/Pages/Welcomepage.aspx
The Committee on the Rights of the Child is the body of 18
independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the
Rights of the Child by its State parties. It also monitors the Optional
Protocols to the Convention, on involvement of children in armed conflict and
on sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography; as well as a
third Optional Protocol which will allow individual children to submit
complaints regarding specific violations of their rights. Learn more:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/CRC/Pages/CRCIndex.aspx
Check the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CCPR.aspx
And the Convention on the Rights of the Child:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx
UN Human Rights, Country Page – Saudi Arabia:
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/MENARegion/Pages/SAIndex.aspx
For more information and media requests please contact Johel
Dominique (+41 22 928 93 98 / jdominique@ohchr.org) or write to eje@ohchr.org
For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917
9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)
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