6 detainees in Saudi Arabia are facing the risk of being killed after the Specialized Criminal Court of Appeal approved death sentences by taazir, after trials marred by gross defects and lacking the conditions of justice,
According to ESOHR’s tracking, on November 3, 2022, the court ruled a death sentence against Zuhair al-Samkhan, Reda al- Shayeb, Muhammad al-Tahnoun, Mustafa Abu Shaheen, Muhammad Abdul Razzaq al-Mosbah, Mustafa Abu Shaheen, Abdullah Ghazwi, while sentencing Mustafa Ahmed Attia to 20 years in prison and a travel ban. The detainees are awaiting the Supreme Court's ruling, which is the last judicial stage before execution.
According to the information, the eight detainees were arrested in May and June 2019 and were subjected to widespread violations, while they were charged with a series of charges that do not include the most serious crimes in international law, and among the charges that the judges considered that required killing, was the use of social media.
Zuhair al-Samkhan (12-18-1978), arrested on: 05-15-2019. Several charges were brought against him, including his participation in a terrorist organization that seeks to corrupt the country and armed revolt against the regime and state institutions by shooting several times at security men and security armoured vehicles to kill them, supporting terrorist ideology by being influenced by the speeches of Sheikh al-Nimr, travelling to Iraq to receive military training, Providing aid to those wanted by the security forces in the Al Masura neighbourhood, using social media programs, and seeking to destabilize the social fabric and national cohesion..
Reda al-Shayeb (17-05-1996), was arrested on May 15, 2019. Charges were brought against him, including joining a terrorist organization that seeks to destabilize security and stability, confronting security men and breaching national security. He transported several wanted persons, sheltered them, provided them with aid, and provided materials and food for them, renting a house to shelter wanted persons and aiding wanted persons to escape, using social media programs to communicate with members of the terrorist organization, striving to destabilize the social fabric and national cohesion. Before the judge, al-Shayeb confirmed that he was placed in solitary confinement for 4 months and that he was tortured and prevented from eating and praying. Despite this, he was prevented from going to the hospital for treatment due to bruises, back pain, digestive disorders, and dehydration.
Muhammad al-Tahnoun (October 16, 1991), was arrested on May 15, 2019. Among the charges brought against him were joining a terrorist organization that seeks to destabilize security and stability, confronting security men and breaching the national security of the Kingdom, attempting to commit a terrorist crime, inciting several people to join his terrorist organization, and travelling to the Republic of Iraq and receiving training there in preparing explosives. And using social media programs to communicate with members of his terrorist organization, seeking to destabilize the national fabric and national cohesion, the criminal and the punished. The Tahnoun family denied the charges against him before the judge and confirmed that he had been subjected to flagrant violations, including his forcible arrest and removal from his house naked, breaking the doors of the house and tampering with property.
Mustafa Abu Shaheen (4-08-1995), was arrested on 05-15-2019, and he was charged with joining a terrorist organization that seeks to destabilize security and stability, confronting security men and breaching national security, supporting terrorist ideology, terrorist crime and the methodology of its perpetrator, and praising him. During the possession of a group of pictures of perished people, and providing aid to a security wanted person, he used e-mail and the social networking programs WhatsApp and Telegram to communicate with security wanted persons. During the trial, Abu Shaheen denied the charges against him, although he was sentenced to death by taazir.
Muhammad Abdul Razzaq Al Mesbah (October 17, 1990), was arrested on May 15, 2019. The charges brought against him, were his support for the terrorist organization Hezbollah by meeting with its members outside the Kingdom, communicating with them and receiving training from them, receiving training in the State of Iraq by the terrorist entity on the use of electronic means of communication, providing advice to the leader of the terrorist entity in determining the most appropriate means of transportation in transporting weapons and explosives His attempt to provide a storehouse of weapons and explosives inside the Kingdom for the benefit of the terrorist entity, using the Internet and mobile phone devices to communicate with the leader and members of the terrorist entity. Before the judge, he confirmed that he was subjected to widespread violations, as various forms of physical and psychological coercion were practised against him since he arrived at the General Investigation headquarters, where he was beaten and prevented f
Abdullah Ghazwi (21-06-1996), arrested on 21-5-2019, was charged with several charges, including joining a terrorist entity run from outside the Kingdom, receiving training in Iraq by the terrorist entity on the use of weapons and making explosives, introducing him to a leader The terrorist entity coordinates security checkpoints and security centres, using the information network and telephone to communicate with the leader of the terrorist entity.
Mustafa Ahmed Attia (November 15, 1981), was arrested on June 23, 2019. The Public Prosecution charged him with one charge, covering him for what he knew of a resident’s support for a terrorist entity, and for his challenge to the justice of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Attia confirmed that he did not obtain the investigation papers and statements attributed to him. Despite this, the court sentenced him to 20 years in prison and a 20-year travel ban, after adding to his charge the charge of joining a terrorist cell seeking to destabilize security.
The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights notes that the successive rulings issued by the Specialized Criminal Court in Saudi Arabia confirmed the flaws in the justice system in Saudi Arabia and the anti-terrorism law in particular. ESOHR points out that the disciplinary death sentences prove the falsity of Saudi Arabia's allegations and misleading practice before the United Nations, as it confirmed more than once that it issues death sentences only for the most serious crimes. While experts confirm that the most serious crimes are limited to premeditated murder, Saudi Arabia issues death sentences on charges that do not include murder at all.
ESOHR explains that the violations that accompany the trials, including solitary confinement, torture and ill-treatment, coercion to sign confessions, and denial of the right to a lawyer, are a clear indication that the sentences are arbitrary and violate international and domestic laws.