PrintNovember 26, 2007
Record year for beheadings in Saudi Arabia
Ho hum! Another day, another beheading in Saudi Arabia:
Sunday's execution brought to 136 the number of people beheaded in the kingdom this year, according to an Associated Press count. Saudi Arabia beheaded 38 people last year and 83 people in 2005.
In contrast to world wide condemnation of the US when it executes someone after a trial and lengthy appeals this increase in executions has gone relatively unnoticed and subsequently escaped commentary. Indeed, the uh, peculiarities of the Saudi justice system were basically ignored until an international storm arose
after the publicity regarding the imprisonment and 200 lash sentence to a Saudi woman who suffered a gang rape.
But the harsh sentences, mainly against women and foreign servants continue. Last
February, four Sri Lankan workers were executed for armed robbery and their headless bodies left on public display in Riyadh, triggering harsh criticism from international rights groups.
Unfortunately the Saudis silence the feeble human rights groups with oil wealth and the executions continue.
