Target: Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia
Goal: Give fair trials to alleged criminals in Saudi Arabia and demand the country terminate use of barbaric execution methods
Alleged criminals in Saudi Arabia are subjected to a violent and exceptionally unfair justice system. During the court’s secretive proceedings, prejudice and racism pervade brief trials that often lead to violent execution. The basic human rights being trampled by Saudi Arabia’s brutal justice system must be upheld. Demand King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz respect international human rights law and grant a fair trial to all convicted individuals in Saudi Arabia.
In Saudi Arabian court, it is common practice for suspects to be brought in on vague offenses, sat down in trials where they have little chance to speak on their own behalf, and sentenced with brutal public execution. Many times, the offenders are merely alleged to have committed the crime in question, and it is thought that some crimes are entirely fabricated by influential figures. Combine these factors with the government’s tendency to extrude confessions using torture, and it is rare that even a respected citizen is given a fair trial in Saudi Arabia.
The plight of foreign nationals tried in court is far worse. Foreigners, especially foreign criminals, receive negligible respect in Saudi Arabia, and the presiding judge has a great deal of discretionary power. This allows personal convictions or inherited prejudices to be turned into death sentences because in accordance with archaic Islamic laws, offenders of even non-violent crimes can be executed via firing squad, beheading, or crucifixion. According to Amnesty International’s records of executions in Saudi Arabia, “Almost half of the recorded total were foreign nationals, mostly migrant workers from poor and developing countries.”
In recent years, the country’s government has claimed to be making progress in this area, but those claims are weak. Alleged criminals – be they locals, foreigners, women, or even children – are still being similarly sentenced and publicly executed after unfair trials. This inhumanity must be stopped. Join the United Nations and Amnesty International in demanding that international human rights laws are upheld in court. Sign this petition and urge King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to give all criminal suspects in Saudi Arabia a fair trial.
Dear Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,
Saudi Arabia is conducting its courts in ways that do not give alleged criminals a chance to prove their innocence. The strict Islamic laws of your country often observe extreme condemnation of criminals and their families, while the punished individuals may be innocent.
Not only is the judicial system of Saudi Arabia in violation of international human rights law, it violates agreements made by its own government. Saudi Arabia is party to two treaties – the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Convention against Torture) – that its trials and punishments violate every day.
The unfair and inhumane nature of trials and punishments given in Saudi Arabian Court must be resolved. If not in the interest of basic human rights, act in the interest of your own government’s promises. I urge you to give fair trials to alleged criminals, and demand the termination of barbaric execution methods in Saudi Arabia.
[Your Name Here]
photo credit: barnellbe via Wikipedia Commons