UN strongly condemns 37 executions in Saudi Arabia

GENEVA

The UN on Wednesday strongly condemned the executions of 37 men in Saudi Arabia, who were accused of alleged terrorism charges.

"I strongly condemn these shocking mass executions across six cities in Saudi Arabia yesterday in spite of grave concerns raised about these cases by numerous UN Special Rapporteurs, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and others," said High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.

Bachelet criticized Saudi authorities for a lack of due process and guarantees of fair trial, allegations of torture, and the ages of some of those executed.

"It is particularly abhorrent that at least three of those killed were minors at the time of their sentencing," Bachelet said in a written statement.

One of the men’s bodies was subsequently put on public display, according to the statement.

Bachalet said most of those executed belonged to the country’s minority Shi’a Muslim community.

She urged Saudi authorities to "immediately launch a review of its counter-terrorism legislation and amend the law to expressly prohibit the imposition of the death penalty against minors."

"I appeal to the authorities to halt the pending executions and to engage constructively with the UN Human Rights Office and independent experts on the many concerns related to the imposition of the death penalty in the country," she said.

Tuesday’s executions came only two days after Saudi authorities said they had foiled a terrorist attack on a police center near the capital Riyadh, in which four attackers had been killed and three policemen injured.

On Monday, Riyadh also detained 13 citizens for allegedly planning to carry out "terrorist acts" in the kingdom.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz