On August 17, 2024, the Saudi Press Agency published a statement issued by the Ministry of Interior announcing the execution of Abdul Majid bin Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Nimr.
The statement did not specify the type of sentence carried out, but it mentioned that it was issued by the Specialized Criminal Court, indicating that it was likely a discretionary (ta’zir) sentence. The statement listed the charges that the sentence was supposedly based on, including committing criminal acts involving betrayal of his country, joining a terrorist cell affiliated with the Al-Qaeda organization, financing terrorism and terrorist activities, and supporting extremist ideologies.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights had included Abdul Majid Al-Nimr’s name on its list of individuals at risk of execution in Saudi Arabia before the sentence was carried out, alongside approximately 70 others, most of whom are facing charges related to expressing opinions or participation in protests and events that took place in the Qatif Governorate in the Eastern Province.
The preliminary judgment document, which the organization obtained a copy of and was issued against Al-Nimr in October 2021, reveals clear falsification in the Ministry of Interior’s statement and highlights significant flaws in Saudi Arabia’s justice system, alongside blatant violations of international laws.
- Charges:
The Ministry of Interior claimed that the charges Al-Nimr faced were related to joining a cell affiliated with the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, despite the fact that he belongs to the Shia sect. Additionally, the list of charges in the judgment document indicates that the charges he faced are remarkably similar to those routinely directed by the Public Prosecution against defendants sentenced in connection to the events in Qatif Governorate.
According to the document, Al-Nimr faced the following charges:
- • Seeking to destabilize the social fabric and national unity through participating in demonstrations, attending funerals of those killed, and repeatedly doing so in Qatif Governorate, supporting sabotage activities, chanting slogans against the state and insulting the ruler, and inciting others to do so.
- • Glorifying Nimr Al-Nimr and protesting against the arrest and trial decisions of wanted and detained individuals, and stirring sectarian strife by resigning from military service after the arrest of the deceased Nimr Al-Nimr, and inciting Shia employees at the Dammam Traffic Department to join protests.
- • Financing terrorism and terrorist activities, criminalized under the Anti-Terrorism Law, by renting out his brother's farm, knowing that it was being used as an illegal car dismantling site and a hideout for several wanted individuals, providing food supplies to several wanted individuals, and preparing and sending content that could harm public order by joining a WhatsApp group with wanted and detained individuals to exchange information, monitor, and track the movements of security personnel.
The charges mentioned in the ruling do not include the accusation of belonging to Al-Qaeda, as claimed by the Ministry of Interior’s statement, which clearly constitutes a falsification of the truth.
The organization considers this discrepancy as further evidence of the lack of trust in official statements, which the organization had previously identified as containing hidden or inaccurate information.
Justice System:
The European Saudi Organization notes that the Public Prosecution did not initially request the death penalty in the indictment it filed against Abdul Majid Al-Nimr.
According to the ruling document, the Public Prosecution requested the maximum penalty under Article 6 of the Anti-Cybercrime Law and the maximum penalty under Article 16 of the Anti-Money Laundering Law, in addition to a severe discretionary (ta'zir) punishment and a travel ban.
The Specialized Criminal Court issued a ruling against him on 19/3/1443 (Islamic calendar) sentencing him to 9 years in prison and a travel ban. However, the Court of Appeal later changed the sentence to the death penalty, even though the Public Prosecution did not initially request it.
"The organization believes that the escalation of the sentence from imprisonment to execution at the appeal stage shows a complete disregard for the right to life and forces convicts to abandon their right to appeal due to the absence of justice.
The organization also notes that Al-Nimr confirmed during the trial that he was subjected to torture, which led to his transfer to the hospital, and he requested medical reports to prove it. Despite submitting the reports to the court and proving his health condition due to torture, those responsible were not held accountable, and the court relied on confessions extracted under torture.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights considers the execution of Abdul Majid Al-Nimr as further evidence of the complete lack of trust in all stages of the justice system in Saudi Arabia, culminating in the execution and the Ministry of Interior’s announcement.
The organization believes that fabricating charges, issuing a death sentence despite him not facing the most severe charges under international law, and the fact that most of the charges relate to freedom of expression and participation in gatherings, along with changing the sentence at the appeal stage and withholding the body after execution, are clear indications of the retaliatory nature of this punishment."
The organization points out that the execution of Abdul Majid Al-Nimr, alongside the high numbers of executions since the beginning of 2024, with the number of those executed reaching 147 by August 19, is a clear message confirming Saudi Arabia's complete disregard for its commitments and promises, and its continued engagement in executions that violate international laws.