Saudi authorities executed Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Abu Abdullah, a Shiite detainee, on Saturday after convicting him of what the Interior Ministry described as “terrorism-related” charges. The execution, carried out in the Eastern Province, has sparked renewed human rights concerns over the targeting of dissent and the Shiite minority.
According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Al Abu Abdullah was accused of belonging to a terrorist group and planning acts that threatened internal security. However, human rights organizations and experts expressed serious doubts about the fairness of his trial, citing patterns of coerced confessions, torture allegations, and the misuse of broad terrorism charges to silence political opposition.
The execution comes amid a sharp rise in capital punishment cases in Saudi Arabia, with Amnesty International reporting over 88 executions so far this year—many linked to free speech and religious identity. Rights groups have called for a moratorium and a full review of the kingdom’s criminal justice system.
