On January 30, 2024, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia executed Awn Hassan Abu Abdullah. The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights had previously documented the sentence against Abu Abdullah, but the lack of transparency, intimidation of families, and a policy of intimidation prevented the documentation of the trial, its proceedings, and any violations it may have entailed.
The Ministry of Interior's statement regarding the execution reveals a violation of international laws that restrict the death penalty, in countries that still apply it, to only the most serious crimes, specifically intentional murder. The statement indicated that Abu Abdullah was accused of joining a terrorist cell seeking to undermine the kingdom's security, destabilize society, disrupt the state's stability, target security personnel, engage in manufacturing explosives, and financing terrorism. Therefore, the statement confirms that Abu Abdullah did not face a charge of intentional murder, highlighting the use of vague charges that do not precisely indicate the alleged crime.
In addition, the notorious verdict from the Specialized Criminal Court, known for targeting and punishing human rights defenders, activists, and protesters, was issued against Awn Abu Abdullah. However, the organization noticed the absence of a specific mention of the type of verdict he faced, which is likely Taazir capital punishment.
According to the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights' tracking of the Saudi government's behavior, the arrest, trial, and execution of Awn Abu Abdullah are likely related to his legitimate activities, such as expressing opinions and participating in gatherings, raising concerns about his potential exposure to Saudi Arabia's practices of torture, ill-treatment, and unfair trials.
ESOHR highlights that the execution of Abu Abdullah brings the total number of executions since the beginning of 2024 to 7, solidifying Saudi Arabia's determination to execute individuals on charges that are not the most serious and to utilize the Specialized Criminal Court for Terrorism as a tool for repression.
Moreover, ESOHR considers the high number of executions in 2023, coupled with the execution of Abu Abdullah and troubling information about movements within Dammam's investigation prison, as alarming signals for those sentenced to death. ESOHR is currently monitoring 65 individuals, including 9 minors, who are under the threat of capital punishment.