The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights expresses its fear that the Saudi government will carry out sudden executions after carrying out 120 executions from the beginning of 2022 until May.
In light of the ambiguity of the procedures and the lack of transparency with the execution file, it is impossible to reach the exact number of those threatened with death out of the 81 executions carried out during the mass massacre in March 2022. ESOHR had only monitored 5 cases. Despite this, the organization's monitoring confirms that 34 people are currently on death row in various degrees of litigation. The documentation confirms that at least two detainees can be executed at any moment. They are Sadiq Thamer and Jaafar Sultan from Bahrain after the Supreme Court approved the punitive death sentences against them.
ESOHR believes that the lives of the two young Bahrainis are in imminent danger, and indicates that there are fears for the lives of others, in light of several indicators that predict the possibility of implementing more sentences before the end of 2022. The organization is trying to enumerate these indicators:
- Issuance of new rulings and appellate courts upholding other death sentences, including disciplinary rulings, despite all the promises made to stop this type of ruling. Since the beginning of 2022, disciplinary rulings have constituted most of the sentences that have been implemented. In addition, the Supreme Court ratified judgments of Taazir killings against the two young men, Thamer and Sultan, despite the United Nations' call to stop the sentences, and most of the cases that the organization is pursuing have issued verdicts of Taazir killing or the Public Prosecution calls for Taazir killing. Bin Salman had said in an interview on March 3, 2022, that the death penalty was now limited to cases in which someone killed another person.
- Ignoring the royal order and the juvenile law: According to the monitoring of the European-Saudi Organization for Human Rights, 7 minors face death sentences, 4 of whom are requested by the Public Prosecution to be executed. Appeals against the death sentence in a reprimand against Abdullah Al-Derazi recently. The Saudi government and the official Human Rights Commission have said more than once that the new decisions protect minors from the disciplinary punishment of murder. In addition, despite the Supreme Court's reversal of the verdict of killing with Harba punishment against the minor Abdullah Al-Hwaiti due to flaws in the trial, the Court of Appeals confirmed the verdict of Qisas's punishment against him.
- The escalation of the horrific severity of the penalties by the Saudi courts, and the issuance of unprecedented harsh sentences against activists: The European Saudi Organization for Human Rights monitored the issuance of sentences by the Saudi courts, reaching 45 years in prison, against activists on charges, most of which are related to expressing an opinion. In addition, in an unprecedented manner, the Court of Appeal doubled the sentences in some cases. These sentences are considered a new aspect of the Saudi government's treatment of detainees, and thus the possibility of carrying out harsh sentences, up to the death penalty. The organization notes that several detainees who are currently facing death sentences are facing charges related to expressing an opinion, using means of communication and publishing books, including Sheikh Hassan Farhan Al-Maliki and Sheikh Salman Al-Awda.
- Judicial Changes: The organization's tracking of several cases confirmed the unjustified repeated postponements of individual trial dates. Some observer analyzes indicate that there have been significant changes in the administrative composition and the judicial body to increase control over the judiciary, especially the courts of appeal.
- The accumulation of sentences issued and the non-implementation of any judgment since May is an indication that Saudi Arabia may intend to carry out a mass massacre, which is what happened similarly before the implementation of mass execution in March 2022, when the number of executed judgments had decreased.
ESOHR believes that the indicators show the Saudi government's insistence on using the judiciary in a retaliatory manner and issuing arbitrary sentences, including death sentences. The organization considers that the lack of transparency, depriving families of adequate access to information, intimidating them and preventing the activity and institutions of civil society, raises serious concerns that the numbers of people under threat of death are much higher and the judicial stages of sentences are more advanced. ESOHR also considers that after the three mass massacres that were carried out during the reign of King Salman and the crown prince, there is concern that the Saudi government will take similar steps at any time, especially with complete disregard for international criticism and demands.