Saudi Arabia
07.02.03
Urgent Interventions
Saudi Arabia: sentencing to death of Yemeni national Mr. Hail Al Masri
Case SAU 070203
Death penalty
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Saudi Arabia.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of sentencing to death of a Yemeni national, Mr. Hail Al Masri, in Saudi Arabia.
According to the information received, on January 7th, 2003, Saudi Arabia reportedly sentenced a Yemeni national to death for insulting the religion of a person with whom he was sharing a room. Mr. Hail Al Masri was originally sentenced to two years imprisonment and 600 lashes, but a higher court, headed by Ali Al Zahrani, rejected the sentence and ruled that Mr. Al Masri should be beheaded. It is reported that Mr. Al Masri jumped from the third floor where the courtroom was located after the death sentence had been pronounced. Mr. Al Masri was reportedly seriously injured as a result of the fall and was taken to a local hospital.
Our sources have indicated that Saudi Arabia has not formally announced the death sentence as yet. Information concerning these events has been difficult to collect, as persons that have been following the trial are reportedly not releasing details concerning the proceedings due to fear of reprisals. As a result, the exact date of the planned execution is not currently known, but OMCT fears that it may be carried out once Mr. Al Masri has recovered from his injuries.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Hail Al Masri. OMCT stresses that it is strongly opposed to the death penalty as an extreme form of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and a violation of the right to life, as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments, and calls upon the Saudi authorities to ensure that the execution is not carried out.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Saudi Arabia urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Al Masri;
ii. immediately commute his death sentence and order his unconditional release;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· King and Prime Minister, His Majesty King Fahd bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Al-Saud, Office of H.M. The King, Royal Court, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
· Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Al-Saud, Royal Court, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
· His Royal Highness Prince Naif bin 'Abdul 'Aziz, Minister of the Interior, P.O. Box 2933, Airport Road, Riyadh 11134, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Fax: + 966 1 403 1185.
· His Excellency Dr. 'Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, University Street, Riyadh 11137, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Fax: + 966 1 401 1741.
· S.E. M. Abdulwahab Abdulsalam ATTAR, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations in Geneva, Route de Lausanne 263, 1292 Chambésy, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 758 00 00.
Please also write to the embassies of Saudi Arabia in your respective country.
Geneva, February 7th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Death penalty
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Saudi Arabia.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source of sentencing to death of a Yemeni national, Mr. Hail Al Masri, in Saudi Arabia.
According to the information received, on January 7th, 2003, Saudi Arabia reportedly sentenced a Yemeni national to death for insulting the religion of a person with whom he was sharing a room. Mr. Hail Al Masri was originally sentenced to two years imprisonment and 600 lashes, but a higher court, headed by Ali Al Zahrani, rejected the sentence and ruled that Mr. Al Masri should be beheaded. It is reported that Mr. Al Masri jumped from the third floor where the courtroom was located after the death sentence had been pronounced. Mr. Al Masri was reportedly seriously injured as a result of the fall and was taken to a local hospital.
Our sources have indicated that Saudi Arabia has not formally announced the death sentence as yet. Information concerning these events has been difficult to collect, as persons that have been following the trial are reportedly not releasing details concerning the proceedings due to fear of reprisals. As a result, the exact date of the planned execution is not currently known, but OMCT fears that it may be carried out once Mr. Al Masri has recovered from his injuries.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Hail Al Masri. OMCT stresses that it is strongly opposed to the death penalty as an extreme form of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and a violation of the right to life, as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights instruments, and calls upon the Saudi authorities to ensure that the execution is not carried out.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Saudi Arabia urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Al Masri;
ii. immediately commute his death sentence and order his unconditional release;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· King and Prime Minister, His Majesty King Fahd bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Al-Saud, Office of H.M. The King, Royal Court, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
· Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Commander of the National Guard, His Royal Highness Prince Abdullah bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Al-Saud, Royal Court, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
· His Royal Highness Prince Naif bin 'Abdul 'Aziz, Minister of the Interior, P.O. Box 2933, Airport Road, Riyadh 11134, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Fax: + 966 1 403 1185.
· His Excellency Dr. 'Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh, Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice, University Street, Riyadh 11137, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Fax: + 966 1 401 1741.
· S.E. M. Abdulwahab Abdulsalam ATTAR, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations in Geneva, Route de Lausanne 263, 1292 Chambésy, Switzerland, Fax: +41 22 758 00 00.
Please also write to the embassies of Saudi Arabia in your respective country.
Geneva, February 7th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.