Saudi Arabia on Tuesday beheaded a Syrian convicted of drug
trafficking, official media said, bringing to 68 the number of people executed
this year despite international concern.
“Talal Ali Qassem was captured smuggling a large quantity of
methamphetamine. Investigations led to his confession,” the official Saudi
Press Agency reported, citing the interior ministry.
Qassem was executed in the northern region of Jawf.The ministry says the government is battling narcotics
“because of their great harm to individuals and society”.
In September, an independent expert working on behalf of the
United Nations called for an immediate moratorium on the death penalty in Saudi
Arabia.
Christof Heyns said that among his concerns was the
obtaining of confessions under torture.
Rape, murder, apostasy and armed robbery are also punishable
by death under the kingdom’s strict version of Islamic sharia law.
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