UN: Execution of minors in Saudi Arabia is a crime

SANAA, Jun. 01 (YPA) – UN-appointed independent human rights experts called on Tuesday for Saudi Arabia to immediately release Abdullah al-Howaiti and quash the death sentence against him for crimes he allegedly committed as a child.

In a statement, the experts: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and Special Rapporteur on execution highlighted  that Al-Howaiti was arrested in May 2017, when he was only 14 years old, accused of robbery and murder, and convicted, despite having an alibi, based on a confession of guilt extracted under torture and other ill-treatment.

According to the experts, Al-Howaiti was recently sentenced to death for a second time after his original conviction was overturned by the Saudi Supreme Court in 2021.

If confirmed by the Court of Appeal, the death penalty would be final and Al-Howaiti will be at an imminent risk of execution.

The Experts expressed concern over the confirmation of the death sentence against Mr. Al-Howaiti, carried out without any investigation into allegations of torture or the validity of the confession of coercion.

The experts also urged the Saudi Government/authorities to adopt measures towards abolishing the death penalty for children, including in relation to offenses punished under qisas and hudad.

E.M