Rights group: 80% of people in death penalty trials as minors in Saudi Arabia

IslamNews – Anti-death penalty group Reprieve said on Friday that 80% of those on trial in Saudi Arabia for crimes that carry the death penalty and that were allegedly committed while minors still face execution despite reforms announced in 2020.

Saudi authorities said last year they would stop sentencing to death any individuals who committed crimes while minors and would apply this retroactively.

However, the March 2020 royal decree announcing this was not reported by state media or published in the official gazette as would be normal practice. Human rights groups and western lawmakers have raised concerns about its implementation.

Source: Reuters