Public Executions in Saudi Arabia Spark Fury in Bangladesh

Human rights activists have condemned the public execution of eight Bangladeshi migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.

According to reports, the eight men were beheaded in Riyadh on Friday following conviction for the alleged killing of an Egyptian national in April 2007. Three other Bangladeshis who were also convicted of murder, were sentence to prison terms and flogging.

Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), a Bangladeshi legal aid and human rights organization, said that while the executions were carried out under Saudi laws, such a punishment will cause grave suffering to the families of the condemned men. ASK also pointed out that foreign workers in Saudi Arabia often don’t understand the nuances of Saudi law, do not understand the Arabic language, and frequently fail to secure effective legal representation.

ASK has urged the Bangladeshi government in Dhaka to provide legal assistance to countrymen who find themselves in serious trouble in foreign countries.

According to Sultana Kamal, executive director of ASK in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi government did not even inform the families of the executed men – they learned of it through newspaper reports.

“They [migrants] are poor people they go there [Saudi Arabia] for economic reasons and we are not sure whether they were given enough opportunity to defend themselves and why weren't the families informed?,” she told Radio Australia.

However, it is unlikely that Bangladeshi officials will do much to pressure the Saudis – there are an estimated 2 million Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia and their cash remittances home are important to the impoverished nation’s economy.

Similarly, the London-based human rights organization Amnesty International is also outraged by the mass beheading, citing that since the end of the Holy month of Ramadan, executions have resumed in Saudi Arabia at an alarming rate.

Amnesty stated that the Saudis have now executed 58 people this year, more than double the rate for all of last year.

“Court proceedings in Saudi Arabia fall far short of international standards for fair trial and news of these recent multiple executions [are] deeply disturbing,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty’s Deputy Director for Middle East and North Africa.

“The Saudi authorities appear to have increased the number of executions in recent months, a move that puts the country at odds with the worldwide trend against the death penalty. The [Saudi] government must establish an immediate moratorium on executions in the Kingdom and commute all death sentences, with a view to abolishing the death penalty completely.”

Amnesty also pointed out that many of those who are executed in Saudi Arabia are foreign workers from poor countries who can neither afford lawyers, nor even understand the Kingdom’s court system.

“Defendants often have no defense lawyer and are unable to follow court proceedings in Arabic,” Amnesty stated. “They are also rarely allowed formal representation by a lawyer, and in many cases are not informed of the progress of legal proceedings against them. They, and many of the Saudi Arabians who are executed, also have no access to influential figures such as government authorities or heads of tribes, nor to money, both crucial factors in paying blood money or securing a pardon in murder cases.”

Meanwhile, the Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh, Abdullah. N. Al Bussairy, told the Daily Star newspaper of Bangladesh, insisted that his government tried to help Dhaka officials pay blood money to the family of the murdered man in Egypt (whose forgiveness might have spared the convicted men, under Sharia law).

However, the intervention didn't succeed.

Source: International Business Times

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HC issues rule on govt over Bangladeshis’ execution in KSA

Dhaka, Oct 12 (UNB) -The High Court has asked the government to form a high-powered committee to investigate the role of officials serving in the Bangladesh mission in Saudi Arabia whether they had taken effective steps to save the lives of the eight executed migrant workers.

Passing the interim order upon a public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), an HC division bench comprising Justice Farid Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif asked the Secretaries to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment to submit a report on compliance in eight weeks.

On October 7, Saudi Arabia carried out their court order beheading in public the eight Bangladeshis for their involvement in a robbery and subsequent murder of an Egyptian security guard in Riyadh in 2007, according to press reports.

It also asked the Bangladesh Ambassador in Saudi Arabia to submit within four weeks a detailed report on the steps taken by the mission to save the lives of the executed Bangladeshis.

Despite government attorney’s objection, the High Court issued rule upon the government to explain why its ‘inaction’ to provide adequate support and legal assistance to save the lives of eight Bangladeshis beheaded on charges of robbery and murder should not be declared

illegal.

Besides, the HC asked the government to explain why direction should not be given to provide proper and legal assistance in all cases to the Bangladeshi citizens living abroad as and when required.

Opposing the petition, Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Saju told the court that lawyers fought a legal battle for them at all levels. Bangladesh’s foreign and expatriates’ welfare ministries had repeatedly appealed to the Saudi authorities for clemency, the attorney said, adding that even President Zillur Rahman solicited pardon for the convicts from the Saudi king.

Advocate Manzill Murshid appeared for the HRPB.

Source: UNB

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U.N. rights office "distressed" by Saudi executions

GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations on Tuesday said it was "deeply distressed" by Saudi Arabia's public execution of 10 men, including eight Bangladeshi migrants, and called on the kingdom to stop using the death penalty.

Saudi Arabia said it executed eight Bangladesh nationals on Friday for their part in an armed robbery in which an Egyptian security guard was killed, the state news agency reported.

The U.N. said two Saudi nationals were also executed on the same day for other crimes.

"For eight people to be executed for one murder is a lot of people and that raises questions itself. Ten were executed on the same day, eight of them migrant workers," Rupert Colville, spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, told Reuters.

"The Bangladeshis were beheaded by sword in public."

The U.N. human rights office said it was trying to get more information on the Bangladeshi case, but confirmed that the men had lawyers and contact with their embassy.

"In terms of the whole case, whether it was fairly conducted, we don't really have enough information to make a comment," Colville told journalists earlier.

There were general concerns over whether foreigners received clear interpretation of proceedings in Saudi courts, he said.

Out of at least 58 people believed to have been executed in the OPEC oil giant this year, 20 were migrant workers, he added.

About 140 of the 193 member U.N. states are believed to have abolished the death penalty or introduced a moratorium on executions, he said.

"We call on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to join these states and establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty," he said.

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Source: Reuters

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Saudi government's efforts to save the eight Bangladeshi

The Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh said on Monday his government extended full support to Bangladesh government in pursuing to stop the execution of eight Bangladeshi workers in the country.

“But the efforts did not work,” Dr Abdullah.N. Al Bussairy said at a press briefing at his residence in the capital.

Despite Bangladesh's repeated pleas for clemency, Saudi Arabia on Friday executed the eight Bangladeshi workers for their involvement in a robbery and subsequent murder of an Egyptian security guard in Riyadh in 2007.

The Saudi government assisted Bangladesh government’s effort to pay blood money to the family of the Egyptian national, whose killing earned the eight Bangladeshis the capital punishment, but the victim’s family did not agree to the proposal, the Saudi ambassador told the press conference Monday.

A Saudi citizen was beheaded the same day for killing an Afghan national, the ambassador said, adding that the Saudi government moved for clemency to its citizen in exchange of blood money but also failed in convincing the victim’s family.

He also said Bangladesh government was instrumental to have its nationals cleared of the charge over four years when the trial was in progress.

The Bangladeshi migrant workers, who were beheaded in public in the Saudi capital, were Suman Mia from Kishoreganj, Mohammad Suman, Mamun Abdul Mannan, Masud Shamsul Haque and Shafiqul Islam from Tangail, Faruk Jamal from Comilla, Abul Hossain and Matiar Rahman from Faridpur.

Three other Bangladeshis -- Abdus Salam, Masud Rana, Alam -- were sentenced by the kingdom's highest court to imprisonment for different terms and flogging for their involvement in the incident, Bangladesh embassy officials in Riyadh told The Daily Star.

The 11 Bangladeshi workers killed Egyptian security guard Saeed Mohammed Abdulkhaleq while stealing electric cables from a warehouse in Riyadh on April 22, 2007, as documented in case statements.

Source: The Daily Star

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Saudi Arabia - beheading in the 21st century.

Saudi Arabia uses public beheading as the punishment for murder, rape, drug trafficking, sodomy, armed robbery, apostasy and certain other offences.  2007 was the record year for executions with 153 men and three women executed. Forty five men and two women were beheaded in 2002, a further 52 men and 1 woman in 2003 and 35 men and a woman in 2004.  Executions rose in 2005 with 88 men and two women being beheaded and then reduced to 35 men and four women in 2006.  102 people were executed in Saudi Arabia during 2008 but it is thought that two of these were by shooting in Asir Province.  67 people were beheaded in 2009, including two women.  The execution rate fell markedly in 2010 with 26 men being beheaded.

The condemned of both sexes are typically given tranquillisers and then taken by police van to a public square or a car park after midday prayers. Their eyes are covered and they are blindfolded. The police clear the square of traffic and a sheet of plastic sheet about 16 feet square is laid out on the ground.

Dressed in either a white robe or their own clothes, barefoot, with shackled feet and hands cuffed behind their back, the prisoner is led by a police officer to the centre of the sheet where they are made to kneel facing Mecca. An Interior Ministry official reads out the prisoner's name and crime to the crowd.

Saudi Arabia uses a traditional Arab scimitar which is 1100-1200 mm long. The executioner is handed the sword by a policeman and raises the gleaming scimitar, often swinging it two or three times in the air to warm up his arm muscles, before approaching the prisoner from behind and jabbing him in the back with the tip of the blade, causing the person to raise their head. (see photo) Then with a single swing of the sword the prisoner is decapitated.

Normally it takes just one swing of the sword to sever the head, often sending it flying some two or three feet. Paramedics bring the head to a doctor, who uses a gloved hand to stop the fountain of blood spurting from the neck. The doctor sews the head back on, and the body is wrapped in the blue plastic sheet and taken away in an ambulance. Burial takes place in an unmarked grave in the prison cemetery.

Beheadings of women did not start until the early 1990’s, previously they were shot.  Forty seven women have been publicly beheaded up to the end of 2010.  

Most executions take place in the three major cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Dahran. Saudi executioners take great pride in their work and the post tends to be handed down from one generation to the next. 

Source: Capital Punishment UK

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Eight Bangladeshi men have been executed in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh (The Real History)

Eight Bangladeshi men have been executed in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh, last Friday after the Asar Prayer.

Who ever want to know more about this type of brutal death penalty, they can search in YouTube, what has been captured by Mobile camera. In this Videos you will see that a lot of khaki uniformed police is protecting that area. It looks like The circus is surrounded by a public bank. Who will behead his foot and hand placement on the knees of the flame. The head Lowered into the front side.Then sword in handed, Saudi alakhallaha dressed Hangman's comes Ahead of the executioner's. As like as the animal what is sacrificed for Allah, they watch the executes from here and there & and they blocks excutes hands-legs. Generally 2 hangman's be there. After that they cut executes head by one shot by loudly shouting "Allahu Akbaar". 

How much brutality is in Death Penalty at Saudi Arabia - The Real Video (18+ only!)

Then an Ambulance comes forward, which was next to waiting. Then they borrow the body in a streature. One of them put the head and keeps it in a side like a football. And then the people who watched, will arrive at home and will also describe the incident with happiness when they are taking there food. 

It is a regular activity of Saudia Arabia, thats why it do not effect over anyone. Rather the Saudi policy determinant shows that execute (behead) infront of the people what is called "Act of ALLAH" will make people carefull. It reduces crime in society.Many of the people thinks that it is not brutality, but rather it is an effective way to reduce crime in the society. Okay, I heard everything and I Understood everything. But it will not be realized, more than 14 hundred years ago, this "act of God," Why are not yet extinct in Saudi society, from crime to murder like this way? 

2007 was the record year for executions with 153 men and three women executed. Forty five men and two women were beheaded in 2002, a further 52 men and 1 woman in 2003 and 35 men and a woman in 2004. Executions rose in 2005 with 88 men and two women being beheaded and then reduced to 35 men and four women in 2006.  102 people were executed in Saudi Arabia during 2008 but it is thought that two of these were by shooting in Asir Province.  67 people were beheaded in 2009, including two women.  The execution rate fell markedly in 2010 with 26 men being beheaded. Do you think 14 hundred years was not enough for this type of crime to society can be abolished?

Who ever is supporting this legal argument and finding big logics of it, I am requesting those to think it again.

                      ............... to be continue.............

By Admin

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How much brutality is in Death Penalty at Saudi Arabia - The Real Video (18+ only!)

It's an 18+ Video!

For Under 18 & Heart Patient, It will be better if you do not watch!

Source: Internet

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Saudi Arabia executes eight Bangladeshi nationals

Watch: How much brutality is in Death Penalty at Saudi Arabia - The Real Video (18+ only!)

Eight Bangladeshi men have been executed in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh on Friday.

The migrant workers, who were beheaded in public, were sentenced to death for the alleged murder of an Egyptian man in April 2007.

Since the end of the Holy month of Ramadan, executions have resumed in Saudi Arabia at an alarming rate.

“Court proceedings in Saudi Arabia fall far short of international standards for fair trial and news of these recent multiple executions is deeply disturbing,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Middle East and North Africa.

Executions have resumed in Saudi Arabia at an alarming rate since Ramadan.

© Amnesty International

“The Saudi authorities appear to have increased the number of executions in recent months, a move that puts the country at odds with the worldwide trend against the death penalty.”

“The government must establish an immediate moratorium on executions in the Kingdom and commute all death sentences, with a view to abolishing the death penalty completely,” she added.

The beheadings bring the number of executions in Saudi Arabia this year to at least 58, more than double than the 2010 figures. Twenty of those executed in 2011 were foreign nationals.

The Bangladeshi men who were executed are Ma'mun Abdul Mannan, Faruq Jamal, Sumon Miah, Mohammed Sumon, Shafiq al-Islam, Mas'ud Shamsul Haque, Abu al-Hussain Ahmed, Mutir al-Rahman.

According to reports, the Egyptian man was killed during a clash between the Bangladeshi workers and a group of men who allegedly were stealing electric cable from a building complex where the Bangladeshis worked.

Three other Bangladeshis were sentenced to prison terms and flogging.

Two other Saudi nationals were executed in the northern city of Tabuk, bringing the total number of executions on Friday to ten.

Many of those executed in Saudi Arabia in recent years have been foreign nationals, mostly migrant workers from poor and developing countries.

Defendants often have no defence lawyer and are unable to follow court proceedings in Arabic. They are also rarely allowed formal representation by a lawyer, and in many cases are not informed of the progress of legal proceedings against them.

They, and many of the Saudi Arabians who are executed, also have no access to influential figures such as government authorities or heads of tribes, nor to money, both crucial factors in paying blood money or securing a pardon in murder cases.

Saudi Arabia applies the death penalty for a wide range of offences.

They may be convicted solely on the basis of confessions obtained under duress or deception.

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.

Source: Amnesty International

Watch: How much brutality is in Death Penalty at Saudi Arabia - The Real Video (18+ only!)

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