A death sentence for the teenager, Murtaja Qureiris, now 18, would be what the groups called one of the most egregious violations of legal protections for children in the world. “There are few more serious breaches of international law than the execution of a child,” said Maya Foa, director of Reprieve, one of the rights groups. She said that in seeking the death penalty for Murtaja, “the Saudi regime is advertising its impunity to the world.”The defendant was arrested at age 13 and has been in jail since. Executions — often by beheading — are common in Saudi Arabia, and rights groups say they typically come after years of imprisonment, torture and a sham trial. But rights groups say the death penalty is sought for minor offenses and punishment of minority groups and activists who defy the government.

Source: bd News24 June 09, 2019 17:26 UTC