Sunday 6 December 2015

Abdullah Al-Zaher…a Saudi citizen. Despite being arrested as a child, Saudi Arabia is set to kill him after prosecutors demanded crucifixion


In September 2015 the death sentence issued against Abdullah AL-Zaher (who was arrested when he was a child aged 15 years), was endorsed by the appeals and high court, and his case file was sent to the ministry of interior for implementation after it was approved on 5th October 2015. He was then suddenly transferred from the General Directorate prison in Dammam investigation to the new Al-Ha’ir prison in Riyadh, without any explanation, where he was placed in solitary confinement. His sentence endorsement and unexpected transfer raises serious concerns about safety, as his is execution is imminent and could be implemented at any moment.

Al-Zaher was arrested in March 2013, where he was shot at by Saudi security forces, who subsequently caught him and hit him with their weapons, until he fell on the ground bleeding.

Al-Zaher was then transferred to Awwamiyya city police station, where he was beaten by officer’s, with wire iron all over his body so that the effects were visible. He was subsequently transferred to Qatif police station for investigation and then transferred on to the social observation house (Juvenile detention centre), which is a dedicated prison for children.

The authorities resumed the interrogation by officers, and they brought a sheikh to confirm and ratify his words, then he was forced to sign a paper without reading it or consulting with his family. His young age was an additional factor, as due to the suffering during his time in the children’s prison and as a result of the physical and psychological torture, his weight significantly decreased and the effects of torture left visible signs; including a significant deviation in his nose which still remains.

On 12th September 2013, he was then transferred to the General Investigation prison in Dammam, where he suffering weight. Here, he was interrogated, and seven counts against him were issued as follows:

Continue reading

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian   
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Blog!

No comments: