UN statement condemns the mass beheadings in Saudi Arabia

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned the mass executions carried out last Saturday of 81 people convicted of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
“Among those beheaded on March 12, 41 are from the Shia minority who participated in anti-government demonstrations in 2011-2012 to demand greater participation in the political process, seven are Yemenis and a Syrian,” Commissioner Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.
Bachelet noted that, according to information available to her office, some of those executed had been convicted after trials that did not meet international standards.
With regard to Yemenis, “the executions appear to be linked to the ongoing war in Yemen,” according to the High Commissioner.
“The execution of the death penalty after unfair trials is prohibited under international human rights and humanitarian law and can be considered a war crime,” the former Chilean president wrote.
Bachelet reminded that the death penalty contradicts the foundations of human rights and that the failure to give information to relatives about the circumstances of the execution can be considered torture and ill-treatment, and the authorities are also obligated to return the bodies of the executed to their families or relatives.
Bachelet also expressed her concern about Saudi law, which includes a “very broad definition” of what constitutes terrorism, and which could threaten to “turn criminals who exercise their freedom of expression and their right to demonstrate peacefully,” according to “AFP”.
Riyadh called for an end to executions, announcing a moratorium on this punishment, and commutation of sentences issued against those sentenced to death. It also called on the authorities to change their laws on terrorism.
On Saturday, Saudi Arabia announced that it had executed, in one day, 81 people convicted of various crimes related to “terrorism” in one of the world’s most punishing countries, which is a record number for one day and exceeds the total number of executions that included 69 people in 2021.