Saudi Arabia DP News

[Russki]

I just cannot understand why the 'Surgeon' does not move to Saudi....they chop off heads for all the crimes that he advocates.
Frenchy

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1370572/British-teacher-Andrew-Cannon-faces-beheading-friends-death-Saudi-Arabia.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Monday, Mar 28 2011

British teacher faces beheading for friend's death in Saudi Arabia

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 1:39 PM on 28th March 2011

A British teacher could be beheaded in Saudi Arabia if found guilty of murdering a friend with whom he came to blows during a heavy drinking session.

Formal charges could soon be laid against Andrew Cannon, 41, for the death of 57-year-old Robert Colman.

Cannon, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, admits there was a fight, but insists he did not cause his friend’s death.

The two men worked as English teachers in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

They lived in bachelor accommodation in the same building on a private compound.

The pair fell out during the illegal drinking session with both said to have ‘had a tendency to become violent with alcohol’.

Cannon claims Colman, from Newcastle, struck first, using his fists and an ashtray.

He says he fought back, hitting his friend on the head with a chair.

When Cannon was unable to wake Colman the next morning he panicked and fled to Bahrain where he was arrested attempting to board a flight to Britain.

The death penalty is mandatory for murder in Saudi Arabia but no Westerner has ever been executed.

Cannon, a divorcee, converted to Islam to marry a Turkish woman. Being a Muslim means the court could look favourably on him.










Photo : Andrew Cannon












Anne

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://bikyamasr.com/wordpress/?p=31935

Saudi Arabia: Sri Lankan woman faces death penalty

Apr 4th, 2011

By IHRC

Rizana Nafeek lost her appeal against the death sentence for the death of an infant she was taking care of. The decision is currently being reviewed by the advisor of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia for ratification.

IHRC urges all campaigners to write to the King of Saudi Arabia, the family of the child and Saudi Embassies all over the world asking for clemency on behalf of Rizana Nafeek.

Rizana Nafeek, 22 years old, was charged with strangling the 4-month-old infant of the family for whom she worked as a housemaid in Dawadmi city.

Sri Lankan Muslim Ms Nafeek is detained facing the death penalty for allegedly strangling Naif Jiziyan Khalaf Al-Otaibi’s four-month-old son.

She came to Saudi when she was 17 years old to work for al-Otaibi household in Dawadmi as a maid. A week after she arrived she was assigned to look after the four-month old baby, without any training and in addition to her daily duties.

While bottle-feeding the baby, he started choking on the milk. Nafeek shouted for help; however by the time the mother arrived the baby fell unconscious.

Rizana was taken to police where the family of the baby claimed that she committed a premeditated murder. She was tortured in the police station and was made to confess, under duress, which she later retracted.

Her torture as a child and a juvenile is against the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which had been ratified by the Saudi Arabian government.

She was denied access to her lawyer during her pre-trial interrogation.

Kateb el-Shammari, who was appointed by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to defend Nafeek, doubted credentials of the translation of Rizana’s confession in to Arabic. Translation was made by a Tamil speaking, Saibo, who left the country with no return after this.

Nafeek was Indicted and found guilty of alleged death of an infant in 2005. The verdict was later endorsed by the Supreme Court in Riyadh and a death sentence was given.

In June 2007, Nafeek was sentenced to death by a three-member panel of judges headed by Abdullah al-Rosimi , Chief Justice of Dawadmi High Court.

In September 25, 2010, Nafeek’s death sentence was upheld by Riyadh’s Supreme Court after losing her appeal against the death sentence.  The decision is now being referred to the Interior Ministry and Council of Ministers which is headed by King Abdullah of Saudi, who can either approve the death sentence or grant her amnesty.

Nafeek’s lawyer told IHRC: “Amnesty can be granted by the King of Saudi, who presides the Council of Ministers, or by al-Otaibi, family of the deceased infant”.

Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa has written an appeal to King Abdullah of Saudi requesting him to spare the life of Nafeek.

IHRC calls on his Royal Highness King Abdullah of Saudi to grant Nafeek amnesty and use his prerogative right to save the life of the young Muslim girl Rizana Nafeek.











Photo : Rizana Nafeek
















Anne

[Angelstorm]

OK, I find a few things about that concerning with regards the interrogation and translation.  HOWEVER, I have 2 things to say: 1) if I was the family of the baby, and I knew she had done it - I would be f***ing furious if people started sending me letters asking me to spare her & it would make me even less likely to be inclined to grant clemency.  2) Can't we send Henderson over there and have them deal with her?   

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=677904&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Tue Apr 19, 2011 12:05 AM

OFW sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia granted clemency

By Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star)

Updated April 19, 2011 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino worker in Saudi Arabia sentenced to death by beheading in November 2009 for involvement in drug smuggling was pardoned and freed on Sunday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.       

Citing a report of the Philippine embassy in Riyadh, the DFA said the Filipino, whose identity was withheld upon request of the family, would be repatriated soon.

The worker was sentenced to death by a tribunal of three judges for involvement in the smuggling of shabu into the kingdom. He was apprehended in 2008 by Saudi law enforcement agents after receiving a postal package with shabu hidden inside.

The embassy filed an appeal on the decision, which led to the reduction of the death penalty by two members of the tribunal to 15 years imprisonment, 1500 lashes and a karama (fine) of 100,000 Saudi riyals.                                                   

The embassy included the OFW’s name in the list submitted to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud, for the grant of royal clemency.     

The worker was eventually released after three years in detention.                                                                                                   

“His release is testament to the hard work and tireless dedication of the men and women of the Philippine embassy in Riyadh in safeguarding the welfare of every Filipino in Saudi Arabia,” said Charge d’Affaires Ezzedin Tago.

The worker is the third Filipino sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia whose release was successfully secured by the embassy.                                                                                 

Worker Michael Roque was released from prison in February 2011, while Nonito Abono was released in November 2010.















Anne

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article366042.ece

Royal pardon gives hope to OFWs in prison: Migrante

By ARAB NEWS

Published: Apr 19, 2011 15:08

Updated: Apr 19, 2011 15:18

RIYADH: Filipino inmates at the Malaz central jail in Riyadh have welcomed the royal pardon granted to a compatriot on death row and are hoping that they too would soon be freed, a migrant workers advocacy group said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila, quoting a report from the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, said the pardoned Filipino prisoner was repatriated to the Philippines on Monday after his exit papers were completed.

The DFA did not identify the lucky inmate, but Migrante-Middle East named him as Jason Mallorca Pineda, 36, who was earlier sentenced to death for drug trafficking.

In its statement, the DFA said the OFW was sentenced to death by beheading in November 2009 by a tribunal of three judges for involvement in smuggling the illegal drug methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) into Saudi Arabia.

"Through the Embassy's efforts, an appeal was filed on the original decision. Based on the appeal prepared by the Embassy with the assistance of counsel, two members of the tribunal reduced the earlier penalty from death penalty to 15 years imprisonment, 1500 lashes and a karama (fine) of Saudi Riyals 100,000.

"Subsequently, the Embassy included the OFW's name in the list submitted to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud for the grant of Royal Clemency. The Embassy's efforts was favorably acted upon, and he was ordered released after serving a total of three years in detention.

"Upon release, he tearfully thanked the Embassy for its relentless efforts at working for his release from prison," the DFA statement said.

 

How about the others?

Migrante-Middle East said the release of Pineda is a welcome development and suggested that the embassy also exert more effort to get those who have already served their sentences out of prison.

“The jailed OFWs, especially those who have served their respective jailed term and those who were victim of trumped up charges by their employers, would be more than happy if they could also avail the royal pardon just like OFW Jason M. Pineda,” Migrante-Middle East coordinator John Leonard Monterona said in the group's blogspot.

Monterona noted that there are at least 48 inmates in Malaz who claim to have already served their sentences, but remain behind bars.

“Jailed OFWs at the Malaz central jail have been calling me since yesterday to follow up the status of the pardon application in which we were told have already been submitted by the PH embassy to the Saudi pardon committee,” Migrante-Middle East coordinator John Leonard Monterona said in the blogspot.

He said the Filipino inmates,  who are at cell numbers 13, 14 and 17 "have been asking for an update as they said they can’t contact PH embassy officials who visited them only ‘once in a blue moon."

“OFW Farouq Hadji Malik Bayabao, leader of the 48 OFW inmates who formed their own group — the Zalam Brotherhood International, requested me to follow their case and the status of the pardon since they are not certain if their names are included in the list that was submitted to the Saudi pardon committee,” said Monterona.

Monterona claimed that his group had been following the case of the jailed OFWs but got little cooperation from the embassy's assistance to nationals section staff.

“PH embassy is not giving us an update of the pardon much more on the status of the jailed OFWs cases,” Monterona complained.













Anne

[leopard32]

A SAUDI man was beheaded on Thursday (04/28) in the southwestern province of Asir after being convicted of murdering a compatriot, the interior ministry said.

Ali bin Nasser al-Harthi was found guilty of shooting dead Abdullah bin Saed al-Harthi in a revenge murder, the ministry said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency.

Also Khaled Al-Dossari, a Saudi, was beheaded in Suleil town on Thursday. He was condemned to death for killing three other Saudis, Abdul Rahman Al-Dossari, Abdul Majeed Al-Mashaei and Mubarak Al-Dossari during a fight, the Ministry of Interior said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency .

[JeffB]

A SAUDI man was beheaded on Thursday (04/28) in the southwestern province of Asir after being convicted of murdering a compatriot, the interior ministry said.

[leopard32]

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia has beheaded a man in the Eastern Province convicted of killing his father, the interior ministry said in a statement on Sunday. 05/01

Hassan bin Ali bin Hassan al-Abandi was convicted of having set his parents' house on fire "in an attempt to kill his mother following an argument between them," said the statement.

His disabled father died and his mother was injured, it said.

[leopard32]

A SAUDI man convicted of killing a fellow citizen in the northern Saudi town of Hael was beheaded by the sword, the interior ministry said yesterday. (05/02)

It said Bejad bin Salem bin Nkhaylan al Shumari killed compatriot Mohammed bin Merdas bin Saeed al Shumari and stole an amount of money from him.

The convict was "killed and crucified ... in Hael," it added.

His execution brought to 12 the number of reported beheadings in the ultra-conservative kingdom this year.

[leopard32]

Two Saudis convicted of murder were beheaded on Friday (05/19) in Tabuk in the kingdom's north, the official SPA news agency said, bringing to 17 the number of executions in the kingdom this year.

Awad bin Suleiman al-Huti was condemned to death for stabbing Saber bin Ayad al-Huti during a dispute, the interior minister said in a statement carried on SPA.

And Talal bin Ibrahim al-Omrani was sentenced to die for killing Attallah bin Hammad al-Omrani, also during a dispute, another statement said.

[leopard32]

Saudi Arabia on Sunday beheaded a Pakistani convicted of killing a fellow citizen in the holy city of Mecca, the official SPA news agency said.

“Tareq Gaweid Ghulam, a Pakistani, has killed Aref Khuda Bakhsh, (another) Pakistani, using an axe… because of a dispute between them,” reported SPA, adding that Ghulam was executed Sunday.

This brought to 18 the number of executions in the kingdom this year, according to an AFP count.

[leopard32]

Saudi Arabia on Friday (5/27) beheaded a Sudanese man convicted of murdering a compatriot in the capital Riyadh, the interior ministry announced.

Sadiq Abdel Mullah was sentenced to death for the fatal stabbing of Ahmed Mohammed, it said, quoted by the state-run news agency SPA.

His beheading raised to 22 the number of people executed in Saudi Arabia this year, according to an AFP count

[leopard32]

Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (8/6) beheaded a man convicted of murder in the capital Riyadh, the interior ministry announced.

Hanif Otaibi, a Saudi national, was sentenced to death for shooting and stabbing fellow citizen Hilal al-Jaeed during a dispute it said in a statement carried by the state news agency SPA.

The beheading raised to 24 the number of people executed in Saudi Arabia this year, according to an AFP count based on official reports.

[AnneTheBelgian]

http://www.canadaviews.ca/2011/06/10/saudi-arabia-surge-in-executions-in-recent-weeks/

Friday, June 10, 2011

Saudi Arabia: Surge in executions in recent weeks

by: Amnesty International | Jun 10th, 2011

10 June 2011

Saudi Arabia has seen a significant increase in executions in the last six weeks, with at least 27 people executed since the beginning of the year.

The Saudi Arabian authorities must halt the use of the death penalty, Amnesty International said today, following a significant increase in executions in the country in the last six weeks.

At least 27 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia in 2011, the same as the total number of people executed in the whole of 2010. Fifteen people were executed in May alone.

 “The Saudi Arabian authorities must halt this disturbing pattern, which puts the country at odds with the worldwide trend against the death penalty,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“Amnesty International is aware of over 100 prisoners, many of whom are foreign nationals, currently on death row. The Saudi authorities must immediately stop executions and commute all death sentences, with a view to abolishing the death penalty completely,” he added.

Two brothers, Muhammad Jaber Shahbah al-Ja’id, 54, and Sa’ud Jaber Shahbah al-Ja’id, 47, are at imminent risk of execution. They were sentenced to death in 1998 by a court in Mecca, for the murder of another Saudi Arabian man.

In April 2011 their sentences were said to have been ratified by the King and it is feared that they could be executed at any time, although no date is known to have been set.

They did not have access to a lawyer during their pre-trial investigation or their trial. Furthermore, it appears that Sa’ud Jaber Shahbah al-Ja’id confessed to the murder under duress as the authorities reportedly arrested his elderly father in order to place pressure on him.
“Amnesty International is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances, but it is particularly appalling that Muhammad and Sa’ud al-Ja’id were sentenced to death after a trial in which they received no legal assistance,” said Philip Luther.

“However strongly the Saudi Arabian authorities support the death penalty, they must at least recognize that no one should be executed after such problematic legal proceedings and commute their death sentences.”

Five of those executed this year are foreign nationals. Amnesty International has previously documented the disproportionately high number of executions of foreign nationals from developing countries.

At least 158 people, including 76 foreign nationals, were executed by the Saudi Arabian authorities in 2007. In 2008 some 102 people, including almost 40 foreign nationals, were executed.

In 2009, at least 69 people are known to have been executed, including 19 foreign nationals and in 2010, at least 27 people were executed including six foreign nationals.

Saudi Arabia applies the death penalty for a wide range of offences. Defendants are rarely allowed formal representation by a lawyer, and in many cases are not informed of the progress of legal proceedings against them. They may be convicted solely on the basis of confessions obtained under duress or deception.





















Anne