In a speech before the human rights council (HRC) at its thirty-seventh session on 14 March 2018, Mr. Michael Gaffey, the Ambassador of Ireland at the UN reaffirmed that Ireland stands against the death penalty in all circumstances.
The ambassador further highlighted that Ireland expresses its deep concern regarding the Saudi Arabia’s ongoing use of the death penalty.
The European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR) has recently published a report in which it stated that execution rates in Saudi Arabia have increased, with 167% hike since the beginning of 2018, in compare with historic monthly averages. The report also highlighted that 47 individuals, including 8 children, are facing the capital punishment (execution), according to the statistics of July 2017.