Saudi Arabia Beheads 37 'Terrorists' In Just One Day, Internet Calls It Witch-Hunt Of Shias
In a recent incident, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday beheaded 37 Saudi citizens, most of them minority Shiites, in a mass execution across the country for alleged terrorism-related crimes.
Saudi Arabia under Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman is transforming into a liberal nation that advocates equal rights for women. It is also making progress in becoming a tech-savvy nation however, it performs poorly when it comes to the justice system.
Victorian laws that involve beheading is still prevalent in the oil-rich nation. The brutal murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has tainted the polished and liberal image of the Crown Prince. The incident proved that the gulf nation hasn't warmed up to freedom of speech and expression.
In a recent incident, Saudi Arabia beheaded 37 Saudi citizens, most of them minority Shiites, in a mass execution across the country for alleged terrorism-related crimes. The worst part is that the body and severed head of a Sunni extremist was publicly pinned to a pole as a warning to others.
In February this year, two punjabi men were also beheaded by the Saudi authorities without any prior information being shared with the Indian embassy in Riyadh. The brutal act drew sharp criticism from Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.
Photo: Independent/ Representational Image
Saudi dissident Ali Al-Ahmed, who runs the Gulf Institute in Washington, identified 34 of those executed as Shiites based on the names announced by the Interior Ministry. "This is the largest mass execution of Shiites in the kingdom's history,'' he told news agency AP.
It marked the largest number of executions in a single day in Saudi Arabia since Jan. 2, 2016, when the kingdom executed 47 people for terrorism-related crimes in what was the largest mass execution carried out by Saudi authorities since 1980.
The country¡¯s state news agency claimed that those executed were guilty of adopting extremist terrorist ideologies and forming terrorist cells to corrupt and disrupt security as well as spread chaos and create sectarian strife.
Photo: AP/ (File) Saudi Arabia
The individuals were found guilty of attacking security installations with explosives, killing a number of security officers and cooperating with enemy organizations against the interests of the country, the Interior Ministry said.
Human rights organisations around the globe called the execution ¡°grotesque¡± and the day that they all had feared. While the country¡¯s judicial system insists that trials are conducted with the utmost fairness, evidence suggests that trials have lasted only a day and confessions coerced under extreme torture.
King Salman ratified by royal decree Tuesday's mass execution and that of 2016. The king, who has empowered his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has asserted a bolder and more decisive leadership style than previous monarchs since ascending to the throne in 2015.
Many have described the execution as a political message to Iran and that Saudi Arabia was riding the American anti-Iranian wave. Those executed hailed from Riyadh, Mecca, Medina and Asir, as well as Shiite Muslim populated areas of the Eastern Province and Qassim. The executions also took place in those various regions.
However, the execution was widely criticized and invited flak from people around the world. Here are some of them:
Saudi Arabia executed 37 people today, including Mutjaba al-Sweikat. Mujtaba was arrested at King Fahd International Airport, on his way to begin his studies at Western Michigan University.He was 17 yrs old when arrested. The PM must condemn these brutal executions. #ripmutjaba pic.twitter.com/OYTMjflC1M
¡ª Anna Yearley (@AnnaYearley) April 23, 2019
Saudi Arabia beheads 37 people, including minors, without due process.
¡ª Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) April 24, 2019
It pinned 1 body & severed head to a pole as a warning.
Reaction by UN Human Rights Council:
0 resolutions
0 urgent sessions
0 commissions of inquiry
Saudi Arabia sits on @UN_HRC.
https://t.co/ocaMKhk0V6
Beheading and crucifying political dissidents & alleged terrorists is a long held #Wahhabi tradition in #SaudiArabia. The same methods used by #ISIS during its reign of terror in Syria & Iraq. In the era of #MBS they also dismember their critics overseas. https://t.co/UIE996HQP2
¡ª Hisham Melhem (@hisham_melhem) April 24, 2019
Brutal Saudi regime beheads 37 people in one day, including 3 arrested when minors. If Iran had done this, there would be a global outcry. Saudis? The world yawns. Shameful! https://t.co/wOV8vrSoQV
¡ª Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) April 24, 2019
After a wink at the dismembering of a journalist, not a whisper from the Trump administration when Saudi Arabia beheads 37 men in one day¡ªeven crucifying one two days after Easter. Membership in the #B_team ¡ªBolton, Bin Salman, Bin Zayed & "Bibi"¡ª gives immunity for any crime. pic.twitter.com/GgtfOqowGq
¡ª Javad Zarif (@JZarif) April 23, 2019
Today¡¯s mass execution of 37 people in Saudi Arabia is a chilling demonstration of the authorities' disregard for human life. It is yet another gruesome indication of how the death penalty is being used as a political tool to crush dissent. https://t.co/09BBTcfDgu
¡ª Amnesty International (@amnesty) April 23, 2019
Saudi Arabia just crucified someone during Easter week.
¡ª Emma Ashford (@EmmaMAshford) April 23, 2019
That is what it looks like when a country simply doesn¡¯t care to even pretend they respect human rights.
https://t.co/Tv7WW7q8fd
¡°This is the largest mass execution of Shias in the kingdom¡¯s history¡± according to @AliAlAhmed_en.
¡ª Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) April 23, 2019
Of course DC¡¯s foreign policy pundit class will care very little as they often promote conspiratorial anti-Shia hate as a means to demonize majority Shia Iran.
The Saudi monarchy just mass-beheaded 37 citizens, 34 from the Shia minority, after convicting them on fake "terrorism" charges
¡ª Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) April 23, 2019
The regime publicly pinned a man¡¯s body and severed head to a pole as a warning
Saudi Arabia is ISIS with massive oil reserves https://t.co/2f4VKdsDSx
Apart from writing news, Kriti is either listening to some good music or eating some good food. A lover of horror movies and adventurous rides, she is keen on making new friends.
