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RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday carried out its 141st execution this year, putting one of its citizens to death for murder.
Abdulrahman al-Asmari was executed in the holy city of Makkah following his conviction for killing a fellow Saudi, the interior ministry said. Asmari stabbed the victim repeatedly and then drove over his legs after a fight, it said.
This was the fourth death sentence carried out in three days. On Wednesday a Yemeni was executed for murdering a Saudi, and a Pakistani who killed an Indonesian couple was put to death. Another convicted Pakistani drug trafficker was executed on Tuesday.
Read: Pakistani executed in Riyadh
According to AFP tallies, their cases bring to 141 the number of locals and foreigners executed in the conservative Islamic kingdom this year, compared with 87 in 2014.
Saudi executions are usually carried out by beheading with a sword, in what the ministry says is a deterrent. Rights experts have raised concerns about the fairness of trials in the kingdom.
London-based Amnesty International says Saudi Arabia had the world's third-highest number of executions last year, far behind China and Iran, and ahead of Iraq and the United States.
Under the kingdom's strict Islamic legal code, murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape and apostasy are all punishable by death.
Also read: Pakistani beheaded in Saudi Arabia over drug trafficking charges
Saudi Arabia has carried out around 80 executions annually since 2011. In comparison, Iran has executed more than 1,000 people since January last year, the UN special rapporteur on Iran, Ahmed Shaheed said in March.
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On DawnNews
Comments (36) Closed
Oct 29, 2015 04:58pm
When is it the prince's turn to lose his head?
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Oct 29, 2015 05:03pm
Do the figure include the saudi employees who were responsible for Mina tragedy and Makkah crane tragedy
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Oct 29, 2015 05:37pm
Would that Prince who was accused of smuggling drugs face the same punishment?
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Oct 29, 2015 05:39pm
@Azi His turn never comes. As like other sheikhs and particularly the saudi diplomat who were convicted of torturing and raping their maids, he too would be set free.
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Oct 29, 2015 05:40pm
Two Nepali women were severely abused at their Delhi complex and the person left without even an inquiry. Their Prince forced women workers for unnatural sex at California and US Police left him. Is this beheading for poor people only ?
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Oct 29, 2015 06:04pm
As long as they would be willing to chop off the head of a Prince its fine by me..
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Oct 29, 2015 07:00pm
These barbaric punishments must STOP!!
We will NEVER forget MINA MASSACRE!!
We should speak up for all those innocent lives!!
There innocent blood should And will NOT go in Vain!!
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Oct 29, 2015 07:10pm
Saudi Arabia is a hypocrite Country that behead women and poor workers drinking and holding Drugs. The Royal Family young Princes this is a normal way of life. They drink Alcohol and hold the most impressive Bars in their palaces. Most of them are drug addicts and are never punished for any of this. They abuse and rape women all over the world and pay their way out. It is disgusting More over still the world is dancing according to their tune because of their Oil. On Top of all they are the guardian of the Holy places for us Muslim. Their actions and live style do not represent Islam.
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Oct 29, 2015 07:37pm
A question:
Dear Saudia, do you ever punish your princes who play hell with women and servants by brutally raping them who come to your country (that claims to have Islamic Rules) with hopes for a better life for their children abroad?
Do you?
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Oct 29, 2015 07:37pm
Totally Agree with Rehan!! Well Said!!
I would say, it is time for Pakistani nation to take action and speak up against this brutal Regime and especially after we have lost so many innocent lives in Mina due to their negligence!! And even worst because of their apathetic and defiant response to this great tragedy!!
I have also recently started a petition to save a young boy in Saudi Arabia who is going to be beheaded and crucified for just speaking up against this oppression.
Please help save his life at change.org and his name is Ali Al-Nimr.
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Oct 29, 2015 07:55pm
Saudi Arabia is inherently violent. Its culture, tradition and tribal-faith has the rule of eye-for-eye and no tolerance for diversity in beliefs, practices and tradition. They rejoice after beheading people immediately after coming out of prayers, thereby nullifying the positivity of any prayer they really do and mean to.
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Oct 29, 2015 07:56pm
@Azi , very good, That is the day world is eagerly waiting. All those who live by sword by sword. All who behead others set a precedent to be followed by their neighbours, children and enemies alike. No mercy when table turns. The days of the jungle-rule are about to be over.
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Oct 29, 2015 07:58pm
@Rehan , so what is the solution for this malaise? How do we free our holy city and mosques from these pseudo Muslims?
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Oct 29, 2015 08:36pm
Of the 141 total, how many Saudis were executed for murdering foreigners? For this and other related reasons, if there are two countries I am totally afraid of visiting, it is Saudi Arabia and Iran.
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Oct 29, 2015 08:36pm
I wonder why the expatriates are taking law into their own hands instead of using the Saudi Justice system to take action?
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Oct 29, 2015 08:37pm
We should at least start with increasing awareness. Wake up people that you know from slumber. We all love our religion and holy places!! We cannot be just busy with our daily lives while our religion's image is being tarnished by these so called "guardians of Harmain Shareef"!!
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Oct 29, 2015 08:37pm
Strangely, no executed was Western White person !
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Oct 29, 2015 08:39pm
@Munir that would only be possible if we Muslim would unite. Only United we would be able to change and change is needed.
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Oct 29, 2015 08:39pm
It appears its mostly Pakistani that are awarded the death sentence. May be because Pakistani's are easy targets, our embassy doesn't bother to investigate or represent Pakistanis.
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Oct 29, 2015 08:49pm
@Muhammed Ali They regularly chop heads of those convicted of bringing in drugs into the Kingdom (including many Pakistanis). However some of the biggest drug traffickers are actually their princes, who come in and go out of the Kingdom without getting their luggage checked. Just a couple of days back, a Saudi Prince was busted at Beirut Airport with 2 tons of narcotics which he was trying to take to Saudi Arabia in his private plane. The question is, Will Saudis chop his head? Everyone knows the answer, a resounding 'NO'. He won't even serve a single day in prison either.
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Oct 29, 2015 09:15pm
@Rehan They are not Guardians of the Holy Places. The are 'Thaikaydars of the Holy Places'.
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Oct 29, 2015 09:30pm
i am not a fan of the SA royals, if you look at the history these royals were group of strong bandits with power, it was the british who gave them this kingdom for their support in defeating the Attomans out of arabia. anyways what can i say, killing is wrong, a fair trail is needed, can you imagine how many innocent had their heads or hands chopped off? anyways SA a beautiful country, the essense of islam, tall buildings, great wealth, and i one of the major importers of pure Alcohole. no lie i worked in a company who major export was SA.
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Oct 29, 2015 09:36pm
How many were framed?
The 64 dollar question!
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Oct 29, 2015 09:37pm
@haris Would that Prince who was accused of smuggling drugs face the same punishment?
The answer "no never"!
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Oct 29, 2015 09:41pm
Two Nepali women were raped by a Saudi diplomat in his residential quarter in Delhi. About to be arrested, the man ran away to Saudi Arabia (probably was surreptitously let go by Indian authorities). Subsequently it has come to light than a Saudi employer cut off one hand of his/her Indian maid in Saudi Arabia. People talk of US drones killing innocent civilians in Afghanistan-Pakistan. The Saudis have bombed the inner city of Yemen indiscriminately. One could go on.
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Oct 29, 2015 10:20pm
How about the prince that was busted smuggling drugs in his private plane or the one that rapped 4 women in CA? Is Sharia law applicable to everyone or just limited to non-Royal family?
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Oct 29, 2015 10:22pm
Iran and KSA are among the most dangerous countries to visit or serve.
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Oct 29, 2015 10:23pm
I say Hypocrites - They don't represent Islam or Muslims.
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Oct 29, 2015 10:33pm
Honestly, all of us like to talk about our frustrations (including myself foremost) but what we really need is some type of ACTION!! We should reach out to main media to actively expose these atrocities. If anyone has any connection with mass media, that would be a good start!! Thanks to Dawn for doing a wonderdul job!!
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Oct 30, 2015 01:02am
At-least Iran and Saudia have something in common
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Oct 30, 2015 02:50am
What about the Saudi prince who sexually assaulted and killed his male aid in UK?
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Oct 30, 2015 03:55am
Saudis make me sick beyond anyone's imagation.
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Oct 30, 2015 07:46am
China executes their people and no one talks about it. If saudi does it everyone loses their mind
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Oct 30, 2015 08:41am
@malika The difference is that in China it is mostly Chinese who are executed and many of them are very influential people,unlike KSA where it is the poor expetriates bearing the brunt,more over the judial system in KSA is shady at best,the accused are not provided with a translator and a fair chance to defend himself
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Nov 01, 2015 06:26am
@Azi :Which of the dozens of princes?
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Nov 01, 2015 06:34am
@Rehan : "If"...!
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