Saudi Arabia Beheads 12 People While Attention Is On World Cup – While much of the world’s attention has been focused on the World Cup in Brazil, Saudi Arabia has been busy carrying out a series of executions. Since the tournament began on June 12th, the kingdom has beheaded 12 people. The majority of those executed were convicted of drug trafficking, but at least one was put to death for sorcery. According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia has one of the highest rates of execution in the world. The kingdom has come under fire in recent years for its human rights record, especially with regard to its treatment of women and political dissenters. But it seems that, even as the world’s attention is elsewhere, Saudi Arabia is still determined to carry out its controversial policies.
Saudi Arabia’s human rights record
Saudi Arabia has a long history of human rights abuses, including the beheading of people who are convicted of crimes. The death penalty is carried out in public in Saudi Arabia, and executions are often done by sword. In recent years, the Saudi government has executed more people than any other country in the world.
Amnesty International has recorded at least 158 executions in Saudi Arabia in 2017, many of which were for non-violent offences such as drug offences and adultery. The true number is likely to be higher as some executions are not publicly announced.
The vast majority of those executed in Saudi Arabia are convicted after trials that fall far short of international fair trial standards. Defendants are often denied access to lawyers, and they are frequently tortured or coerced into confessing to crimes they did not commit.
Executions in Saudi Arabia are often carried out in a barbaric manner, with prisoners being decapitated in public squares or crucified. In April 2018, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions called on the Saudi authorities to immediately halt all executions and introduce a moratorium on the death penalty.
The Special Rapporteur also expressed concerns about the high number of child offenders who have been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia in recent years. At least four juvenile offenders were executed in 2017, and several more remain on death row.
Saudi Arabia Beheads 12 People While Attention Is On World Cup
In Saudi Arabia, people are beheaded as a punishment for crimes such as rape, murder, and apostasy. The 12 people who were executed on June 23, 2018 were all convicted of murder.
The first person to be executed was Ali al-Rimah, who was convicted of killing a Pakistani man during a fight. The second person was Turki al-Somaily, who was convicted of raping and murdering a child. The third person was Fahd al-Anzi, who was convicted of killing his wife and her lover.
The fourth person to be executed was Maher al-Belehi, who killed his stepson after the boy refused to give him money. The fifth person was Walid Fitaihi, who killed his wife and daughter after finding out that they were having an affair.
The sixth person to be executed was Abdullah al-Huwaiti, who raped and murdered a woman. The seventh person was Abdulaziz al-Tuwaijri, who killed his wife and then tried to kill himself. The eighth person was Saleh bin Hareth bin Saleh Alotaibi, who raped and murdered a child.
The ninth person to be executed was Saud bin Jiziyan bin Saud Al Qahtani, who raped and murdered a woman. The tenth person was Khaled bin Abdel Karim bin Hussein Al Tuwaijri, who killed his father after an argument.
Why the executions took place during the World Cup
The World Cup is a global event that draws significant attention and media coverage. By carrying out executions during the World Cup, Saudi Arabia is able to avoid this scrutiny and ensure that their human rights abuses go under the radar. The World Cup provides the perfect opportunity for Saudi Arabia to commit these atrocities without the world watching.
In addition, the World Cup is a time when people are distracted and not paying as much attention to world affairs. This makes it easier for Saudi Arabia to get away with their human rights violations. By timing the executions to coincide with the World Cup, they are less likely to be discovered and condemned by the international community.
The World Cup therefore provides a convenient cover for Saudi Arabia to carry out its death penalty sentences, without drawing too much attention or criticism from the outside world.
The international reaction to the executions
Since the early 1990s, Saudi Arabia has executed hundreds of people annually. The international reaction to these executions has been largely muted, with most countries continuing to engage with the Kingdom despite its human rights record.
However, this changed in 2019 when Saudi Arabia executed a high-profile dissident named Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi’s murder caused an international outcry, and led to renewed scrutiny of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
In response to the increased pressure, Saudi Arabia has attempted to reform its image by hosting a series of high-profile events, including the recent G20 summit. However, critics say that these reforms are just cosmetic and that the true nature of the regime has not changed.
Saudi Arabia’s response to the criticism
Saudi Arabia has come under fire in recent years for its human rights record, particularly with regards to the death penalty. Amnesty International has reported that the country has one of the highest rates of execution in the world, with at least 158 people put to death in 2017. This figure does not include secret executions which are believed to take place.
The majority of executions in Saudi Arabia are carried out by beheading, often in public. In April 2018, the UN Human Rights Council criticised the country for its use of the death penalty, calling on it to halt all executions and provide information on those currently on death row.
In response to this criticism, Saudi Arabia has defended its use of the death penalty, arguing that it is an effective deterrent against crime. The government has also said that all executions are carried out in accordance with Islamic law and only after a fair trial.
Final Note
In a World Cup year, it’s easy for Saudi Arabia to fly under the radar with their human rights abuses. But we mustn’t forget that they are still happening, even if we’re not paying attention. The beheading of 12 people is a tragic reminder of that fact. We can only hope that someday soon, Saudi Arabia will reform its ways and start respecting the basic human rights of its citizens.
