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A Saudi court on Tuesday sentenced 15 people to death for spying for Iran, Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television reported.
The 15 were among 32 people — comprising 30 Saudi Shia Muslims, one Iranian and an Afghan — who were detained in 2013 on charges of spying for Iran and went on trial in February.
There were no immediate details on the outcome of the trial for the remaining 17 suspects.
Saudi state media reported in February that those charged were accused of establishing a spy ring in collaboration with Iranian intelligence and providing Iran with highly sensitive information on the Saudi military.
The reports said they also were charged with seeking to commit acts of sabotage against Saudi economic interests, inciting sectarian strife, recruiting others for espionage and participating in anti-government protests.
Diplomatic tensions have been high between Shia power Iran and the Sunni-ruled kingdom of Saudi Arabia all year long.
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Comments (59) Closed
Dec 06, 2016 01:53pm
One of the most pragmatic and forward countries of the world
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Dec 06, 2016 02:31pm
Sure.
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Dec 06, 2016 02:39pm
Saudia is a sovereign Nation .. No comments on its internal issues ..
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Dec 06, 2016 02:43pm
Further hatred and suppression will not sort anything but breed more....!!!
.....but do we expect the dictators to learn from history???
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Dec 06, 2016 03:04pm
We should also eliminate the terrorists like this.
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Dec 06, 2016 03:25pm
@DR.HAROON NASIR KHATTAK but u guys comment about usa all the time which is also a sovereign nation
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Dec 06, 2016 03:27pm
Who needs enemies like Israel when we have two Muslim countries treating each other as if no enemy having a different religion might treat you? Iranian spies might be spying on Saudis to have information about the unnecessary military attack on Yemen by saudis in which many civilians have been killed.
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Dec 06, 2016 03:33pm
Pot calling the kettle black
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Dec 06, 2016 03:33pm
Saudis are in the state of desparation.
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Dec 06, 2016 03:38pm
@Dr.Haroon Nasir Khattak "Saudia is a sovereign Nation .. No comments on its internal issues .." when comes to Human Right violation it become international issue no regime in the world could be allowed to persecute its own innocent citizens if we accept your logic then why world should speak about Palestinians, Kashmiris, Burmi Muslims etc. because India, Israel and Myanmar are not only sovereign countries but also democratic countries
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Dec 06, 2016 03:44pm
and then we boast about 'ummah'
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Dec 06, 2016 03:42pm
@Dr.Haroon Nasir Khattak So is India a sovereign nation how do you entitle yourself against its policies in Kashmir and criticize it for mass murder of Muslims in Gujrat? The simple fact is that humanity is not a silent spectator of oppression, and genocide or religion based murders. This is a very serious matter and must be condemned by all people of conscience.
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Dec 06, 2016 03:43pm
Exaggerated step as this shall place their own spies in a danger zone...
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Dec 06, 2016 03:45pm
One of the most opaque and tyrant regime of our times.
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Dec 06, 2016 03:44pm
@Haider "We should also eliminate the terrorists like this" They are not terrorists they are suppressed people who are just asking for their basic rights. UN should intervene and send independent observers to save these poor people from the wrath of this draconian regime
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Dec 06, 2016 03:59pm
@Salam namaste Human right violations to the max! No defending lawyers for the victim = to justice denied.
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Dec 06, 2016 03:59pm
Iran should immediately stop it's expansionist agenda and let the neighbors live a peaceful life in their very homes!!!
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Dec 06, 2016 04:14pm
@Syed Zafar kazmi u.s.a
Plz read the news..Theybwere proven guilty of spying against KSA..
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Dec 06, 2016 04:21pm
@h4Y Yes and let the grnocide of poor Yemenis continue under Saudi bombardment for the last two years. Some strange logic, Saudi Arabia attacks a Muslim neighbor country, very poor and unarmed, forms a coalition of Mid Eastern,when it fails to handle Yemen on its own ,so called Muslim countries to perpetrate the 24x7 aerial attack of Yemen, persecutes its own minority and it is Iran that gets the blame for "expansionist agenda".
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Dec 06, 2016 04:29pm
@Dr.Haroon Nasir Khattak How about holding your silence when Europe, US or any other western country decides to ban hijab or elect leaders like Trump?
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Dec 06, 2016 04:42pm
Downfall already started for KSA.
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Dec 06, 2016 04:43pm
@Unbiased "Plz read the news..Theybwere proven guilty of spying against KSA.." who has proved this.....Saudi courts ? Can any independent world organization endorse it ? My dear Saudi Arabia has a worst type of dictatorial regime their judicial system is not approved by any independent world body moreover Saudi Monarchy do not believe in basic human rights or personal independence raising voice for one basic rights is worst crime in Saudi Monarchy
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Dec 06, 2016 05:15pm
@Haider They are not terrorists but they are victims and survivors and their citizens but yes they are shia as well!
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Dec 06, 2016 05:16pm
@Kabir.A vey logical and justified comment.
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Dec 06, 2016 05:42pm
Why so much aggression by SA on every front ? ....... A once smooth sailing country is in every day news perhaps trying to keep the reign in tact.....
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Dec 06, 2016 05:44pm
Saudis and Iran must step up and extend olive branch to each other. This superficial Western induced enmity is destroying Muslims. Iran has extended a hand of friendship and Saudi Arabia should take this opportunity. Two countries must move closer.
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Dec 06, 2016 05:51pm
@Syed Zafar kazmi u.s.a, We need to refresh your memory. Kashmir is a disputed territory under UN resolution(s) which mandates India to hold a referendum but India has refused. That is why supporting Kashmir aspirations of freedom is an international responsibility. Indian occupation forces have killed over 70,000 civilians since 1989. Do you call those terrorists? NO, they lost their lives fighting for their freedom.
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Dec 06, 2016 05:56pm
@Say it that's fine.
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Dec 06, 2016 06:09pm
These two countries are at war on the sectarian basis so we can expect any thing the only thing is they cannot go to actual war.
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Dec 06, 2016 06:10pm
Saudi Arabia execute Iranians Afghans and Pakistanis without fair trails.
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Dec 06, 2016 06:11pm
These people where probably abused and detained ileagly and Saudi Arabia never let anyone free.
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Dec 06, 2016 06:15pm
If so was cases of spying than that is justified because of US presence and military activities in Saudi Arabia .
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Dec 06, 2016 06:14pm
If Saudi Arabia didn't allow US bases on their soil than no one would spy .
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Dec 06, 2016 06:15pm
@AZ When was it ever a "smooth country"? Oppressiveness, and suppression and abuse of all human rights has ever been the hallmark of Saudi governance and it is through this terror in the hearts of their people that they manage to rule over them with an iron fist. What is different now that so many people speak about their atrocities is because the world has shrunk into a global village and the outreach of global media is extensive and consciousness of people is far too elevated. And we Muslims have finally come to recognize and realize that Medinah & Mecca, the holiest sites being there and very dear to our hearts, doesn't entitle them to an autocratic ruthless kingdom but on the contrary obliges them to a lot more humane governance in the light of Islamic ethos which unfortunately is totally absent from the kingdom's conduct
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Dec 06, 2016 06:18pm
Saudi Arabia free US spies
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Dec 06, 2016 06:19pm
Saudi Arabia government put spying cases on anyone who they want to kill.
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Dec 06, 2016 06:26pm
@Mubbshar So well predicted and I believe, starting with the financial crisis due to sagging oil prices it is going through and the horrible oppression this tyrannical regime of kings and princes is perpetuating over the abjectly poor and unarmed innocent Yemen, the end is not too very far.
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Dec 06, 2016 06:40pm
@M. Siddique "Saudis and Iran must step up and extend olive branch to each other. This superficial Western induced enmity is destroying Muslims" Iran has nothing to do with internal affairs of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Monarchs should give some space to its oppressed citizens especially minorities and immediately stop bombing innocent Yemenis and stop interfering in Bahrain's internal matters where majority population is being brutally crushed by the Bahrain Monarchs
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Dec 06, 2016 07:40pm
All their policies are based on sectarian basis and hate. Oppression will end one day.
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Dec 06, 2016 08:13pm
I can sum it up in one word "Paranoia". KSA is going bonkers with the thought of a rising Iran.
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Dec 06, 2016 08:25pm
Saudis inflame violence when dealing with opposition by framing them with false charges and then through violent acts to suppress them.
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Dec 06, 2016 08:31pm
@Unbiased Just because the SA court says they are guilty, you believe it?
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Dec 06, 2016 08:43pm
@M. Siddique "This superficial Western induced enmity" That is right, blame all ill and enmity within us on the West. After all, if it was not for the West, the Saudis and Iranians would be embracing and calling each other brethren. Right?
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Dec 06, 2016 08:49pm
The Saudi rulers are further sowing the seeds of hatred among the Muslims. They are on one hand inflicting cruelties on their poor neighbours (Yemniies) and targeting their minorities on one pretext or another.
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Dec 06, 2016 09:18pm
After Iran, Saudia Arab is the 2nd country committing immense Human rights violations.
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Dec 06, 2016 09:29pm
Both countries have immature rulers.
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Dec 06, 2016 09:34pm
@The end is near "After Iran, Saudia Arab is the 2nd country committing immense Human rights violations" WoW is there any Human rights in Saudi Arabia I can understand that Iran is committing Human Rights violations but for Saudi Arabia there is no such word as "Human Rights" because according to Saudi laws there is no such thing as "personal freedom" so no question of Human rights violation arises
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Dec 06, 2016 11:05pm
@syed zafar kazmI U.S
How do you Guage Iran's genocide in Iraq and Syria together with Russia?
They're killing unarmed Syrians!!!!
Noone can deny this, as truth shows that Iranian generals got killed on Syrian soil? Is this not expansionist agenda?
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Dec 07, 2016 12:29am
@alex you should have a lo0k how many Dr & professionals in Iranian assembly.
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Dec 07, 2016 12:33am
that's why dictatorship is so dangerous for humanity...it doesn't matter if it is in Saudia or Iran..
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Dec 07, 2016 12:53am
@M. Siddique . Point well taken as far as the specific example of India is concerned although for your enlightenment, the UN resolution passed was not mandatorily binding as it was passed under chapter vi a non binding resolution as against chapter bio resolution which is a binding one.That said, the crux of the discussion is not the specificity of any certain country but rather if a country is in violation of world recognized civil rights of its citizenry and if it has a free judicial system or rule of tyranny and in view of such blatant violations, the civilized world has or not a moral obligation to at least voice its protest. That alone is the underlying concern in respect of judicial murder of more than dozen of minority Saudi Shias by the monarchy. I as one indidual do condemn this brutality perpetuated by the Saudi Kjngdom
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Dec 07, 2016 02:01am
@syed zafar kazmI U.S ; I like to comment on Yemen, seems u he are lack of knowledge or u r denying the fact that they were weponised by Iran since 2009 and finally they stand against government in 2014. Similar case Iran is doing in Africa, arming them and promoting to go against government... country like Yemen cannot survive 30 days but they are fighting since 2015, is it some thing not surprising. Aloo same scenario of Syria where Iran n hizbollah fighters have killed millions of innocents so far just to save Assad, if Saudi govt doing wrong then what Iran is doing spreading love by killing millions of innocent??? Pls u can't deny fact by giving illogical baseless statement...
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Dec 07, 2016 02:15am
Iran does not encourage terrorism especially in Saudi Arabia
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Dec 07, 2016 02:19am
iran must stop inter venue in Saudi Arabia
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Dec 07, 2016 07:01am
This will make bitter relations between both these countries.
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Dec 07, 2016 08:59am
well when 2 countries have been openly involved in proxy wars against each other in Yemen and Syria ..these kind of decisions are expected ...I hope the two learn before it get too late .....
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Dec 07, 2016 10:40am
@sHAHAB aLAM SIDDIQUI "iran must stop inter venue in Saudi Arabia" is there any need of Iran's involvement in internal affairs of Saudi Arabia when Saudi government is itself committing human right violations against its own people ?
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Dec 07, 2016 12:38pm
@h4Y "How do you Guage Iran's genocide in Iraq and Syria together with Russia? They're killing unarmed Syrians!!!!" first of all there is no report of genocide in Iraq either by sitting elected government or its official ally Iran secondly in Syria there is also no report of Iran's involvement in any mass killing of unarmed civilians please read all UN and independent reports moreover Iran is involve in Syria and Iraq on the request of sitting elected Governments of both countries whereas Saudi Arabia is directly bombing innocent civilians in Yemen (please read UN reports) Saudi Arab is directly involved in crushing popular movement of majority population in Bahrain, Saudi Arab is directly involve in supporting terrorists groups Iraq and Syria hence killing innocent unarmed civilians and destruction of antiquities in both countries
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Dec 07, 2016 12:54pm
@Ali "Aloo same scenario of Syria where Iran n hizbollah fighters have killed millions of innocents" Kindly quote a single independent report from any quarter which says Iran or Hizbollah is involved in "killing of millions of innocents" please first do some research before posting such a biased comments
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