URGENT ACTION APPEAL ---------------------------------- 28 July 2005 UA 196/05 Fear of imminent execution SAUDI ARABIA Mrs S (f), aged 26 Mrs S, a married woman with children, is at risk of imminent execution. She was reportedly scheduled to be executed on 28 July, but Amnesty International has not received any reports that the execution has been carried out. The organization fears that Mrs S may be executed in the coming days. According to a report in the Saudi Arabian issue of al-Watan, an international Arabic-language newspaper, Mrs S, was due to be executed on 28 July in Khamis Mushayt prison, in the town of Khamis Mushayt, in the Asir region in southwestern Saudi Arabia. She had reportedly been arrested in 1999 in connection with the murder of a man who allegedly attempted to blackmail her. The murdered man reportedly told Mrs S that if she did not have sex with him, he would tell her husband that she had sex with him when they were teenagers, even though she claims this is not true. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Saudi Arabia applies the death penalty for a wide range of offences. Court proceedings often fall far short of international standards for fair trial, and take place behind closed doors. Defendants do not have the right to formal representation by a lawyer, and in many cases are not informed of the progress of legal proceedings against them. They may be convicted solely on the basis of confessions obtained under duress, torture or deception. At least 56 people are known to have been executed in Saudi Arabia so far this year including two women. The actual figure may be much higher. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible: - calling for the execution of Mrs S to be stayed and the death sentence to be commuted; - asking the authorities for details of the trial proceedings and any appeals in the case of Mrs S; - acknowledging the right of the government to bring to justice those responsible for criminal offences, but expressing unconditional opposition to the death penalty; - reminding the authorities of international standards for fair trial in capital cases, including the right to seek pardon or commutation of the sentence. APPEALS TO: Minister of the Interior: His Royal Highness Prince Naif bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Minister of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior P.O. Box 2933, Airport Road, Riyadh 11134, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Fax: 011 966 1 403 1185 (it may be difficult to get through, please keep trying) Salutation: Your Royal Highness Minister of Justice: His Excellency Dr. 'Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-Sheikh Minister of Justice, Ministry of Justice University Street Riyadh 11137, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Fax: 011 966 1 401 1741 Salutation: Your Excellency King and Prime Minister: The Custodian of the Two Holy Shrines His Majesty King Fahd bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Al-Saud Office of His Majesty The King Royal Court, Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Salutation: Your Majesty COPIES TO: Ambassador Prince Bandar Bin Sultan Embassy of Saudi Arabia 601 New Hampshire Ave. NW Washington DC 20037 Fax: 1 202 944 3113 Email: [email protected] PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights. This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal. Urgent Action Network Amnesty International USA PO Box 1270 Nederland CO 80466-1270 Email: [email protected] http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/ Phone: 303 258 1170 Fax: 303 258 7881 ---------------------------------- END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL ----------------------------------
