Saudi Arabia has executed a young man who was convicted on charges stemming from his participation in an anti-government uprising by minority Shia Muslims. A leading rights group said his trial was “deeply flawed”.
It was unclear whether
Mustafa bin Hashim bin Isa al-Darwish, 26, was executed in Dammam for ‘crimes’ committed as a minor, a statement from the Ministry of Interior said. He was detained in 2015 for alleged participation in protests between 2011 and 2012.
The official charge sheet does not specify the dates his alleged crimes took place, meaning he could have been 17 at the time.
The Saudi regime maintains he was convicted and executed for crimes committed above the age of 19, though no specific dates for his alleged crimes have been given.
Last year, the kingdom halted its practice of executing people for crimes committed as a minor.
The interior ministry said he was executed on Tuesday after being “found guilty of participating in the formation of an armed terrorist cell to monitor and target to kill police officers, attempting to kill police officers, shooting at police patrols and making molotov cocktails to target police.”
“The execution of Mustafa al-Darwish once again shows that the Kingdom’s claim to have eliminated capital punishment for childhood crimes is not true,” anti-death penalty and human rights group Reprieve said in a statement.
Reprieve and Amnesty International said his confession was obtained under duress and that he recanted his confession, which he said was obtained through torture, in court.
Source: Agencies
