UN Experts Urge Saudi Arabia to Halt Executions of Minors

UN Experts Urge Saudi Arabia to Halt Executions of Minors
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UN human rights experts have called on Saudi Arabia to immediately stop executing individuals convicted of crimes committed as minors, following the execution of Jalal Al-Labbad on 21 August. Authorities carried out the sentence without notifying his family, who learned of his death through social media. The experts demanded the return of Al-Labbad’s body and an independent post-mortem examination.

They highlighted that executing minors violates international law and constitutes arbitrary deprivation of life. Other young individuals, including Abdullah Al-Huwaiti, Youssef Al-Munasif, Joud Abdullah Quraysh, and Hassan Zakaa Al-Faraj, remain at risk, having been arrested while under 18.

The experts noted serious violations of fair trial standards, including reliance on confessions obtained under torture. They urged Saudi Arabia, as a party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to respect the ban on executing minors and ensure fair trials. Human rights organisations echoed the call, urging the international community to press Riyadh to uphold the right to life.