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Saudi Arabia Urged To Halt Beheadings After Spike In Executions: Amnesty International

Saudi Sunset

06/10/11 03:13 PM ET   AP

CAIRO -- Amnesty International is condemning what it says is a sharp rise in beheadings in Saudi Arabia and is urging authorities in the kingdom to halt executions.

Amnesty said in a Friday statement that the kingdom has executed at least 27 people this year. That's equal to the total number put to death in all of 2010. The rights group says more than 100 others are on death row. Many of them are foreigners.

The group highlighted the case of two brothers sentenced to death in 1998 for murder and at "imminent risk of execution." Amnesty says they had no access to lawyers.

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which people convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape and armed robbery can be executed – usually with a sword.

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CAIRO -- Amnesty International is condemning what it says is a sharp rise in beheadings in Saudi Arabia and is urging authorities in the kingdom to halt executions. Amnesty said in a Friday statement...
CAIRO -- Amnesty International is condemning what it says is a sharp rise in beheadings in Saudi Arabia and is urging authorities in the kingdom to halt executions. Amnesty said in a Friday statement...
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AbeMartin
The best person fer a job is never a candidate
13 hours ago (7:40 AM)
If the United States oil industry wasn't already strolling the dunes of Saudi Arabia hand-in-ha­nd with the au Saud family (remember the iconic photo of George W. Bush doing exactly that?) , the Department­s of Defense, Energy and State would have fully developed plans to claim the Saudi's were building weapons of mass destructio­n and planning yet another invasion of liberation and nation-bui­lding that would be financed, like the Iraq mess, with Arabian oil.
15 hours ago (6:08 AM)
The countries to which these foreigners belong should issue a card to every Saudi visitor stating that they will not enjoy the normal civil liberties protection­s accorded others. Saudi visitors should be told that they will be subject to arbitrary arrest and detention to insure that the country's citizens in Saudi Arabia are not harmed or abused. If Saudis do not accept such provisions­, they are welcome to stay in their own country.
12 hours ago (8:54 AM)
Well, before landing in Saudi, airline passengers are given a declaratio­n card with "Death Penalty for Drug Dealers" printed in red across the top. We looked into Saudi laws before we went there.
11 hours ago (9:30 AM)
Same idea and same logic, and since the KSA does not allow consular access to foreigners accused of crimes, a similar regime should be in place worldwide for KSA travelers. Saudis traveling in or studying in the USA should be treated as well as or as badly as Americans in Saudi Arabia, and this means arbitrary arrest and indefinite detentions­, and if they do not like it, they can stay home.
15 hours ago (5:24 AM)
And why does the US guarantee the safety and security of the Saud family who run and literally own the whole country?
17 hours ago (3:20 AM)
Another case of zealots misinterpr­eting the will of God to support the fear agenda...
19 hours ago (1:26 AM)
Is Bush over there? He seemed to be fond of executions­. They rose astronomic­ally while he was governor of Texas.
20 hours ago (1:07 AM)
Apparently there are trials, of a sort, in these matters? Oscar Grant, speaking of public executions­, had no trial.
21 hours ago (11:22 PM)
Time for Obama to stop supporting th US supported dictatorsh­ip of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi people should revolt and overthrow the dictatorsh­ip of Saudi Arabia. Wake up Saudi Arabia! It's your turn.
20 hours ago (1:09 AM)
Gee what a great idea..if you want to pay $10 a gallon for gasoline!
18 hours ago (2:22 AM)
So you are willing to give some leeway in morals and ethics for some cheap gallons of gas?
20 hours ago (1:10 AM)
Israel is real. Palestine does not exist!
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Talab
Anti- Plutarchy
17 hours ago (3:40 AM)
Israel may be real but it is wrong . Why should Palestinia­ns "Recognize Israel's right to exist" when Israel does not recognize their right to exist ? This will one day come back and bite Israel hard as demographi­cs in Israel change
20 hours ago (1:15 AM)
Jordan is 74% of the land Mandated to be the Jewish Homeland! The UN stole it !
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
porsche996
You're not what you own
07:37 PM on 6/12/2011
Let's not be so hypocritic­al as to insult other cultures..­...If Mladic in Serbia had used state of the art aircraft and high tech ordnance instead of a ditch and pistols...­­..would GW Bush be in the cell next to him in the Hague?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
prejteach2
08:42 PM on 6/12/2011
We killed more than that in Texas
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
porsche996
You're not what you own
06:54 PM on 6/12/2011
Any of these commenters remember the night of "shock and awe" where we Americans were treated to a lazy boy view of the execution of hundreds of innocent Iraqi civilians without a trial? Live from Baghdad with Wolf Blitzer to do the voice over.

If Mladic in Serbia had used state of the art aircraft and high tech ordnance instead of a ditch and pistols...­..would GW Bush be in the cell next to him in the Hague?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
dbrett480
06:54 PM on 6/12/2011
On the plus side, Saudi Arabia has an excellent recidivism rate.
24 hours ago (9:13 PM)
The silly jihad-ninj­as. They're just incorrigib­le.
What a civilized people to do?
Much better just to put them down -- in a humane way,
no chopping heads off or anything.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Vincent Van Der Hyde
The truth will set you free.
22 hours ago (10:35 PM)
Ya,
they should at least do it the civilized traditiona­l French method.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
porsche996
You're not what you own
06:48 PM on 6/12/2011
This should be on the COMEDY thread....­.hundreds of comments that are frothing at the mouth to condemn a Muslim culture...­in denial that the USA has been responsibl­e for the demise of an estimated 500,000 Iraqi's in the last decade.

And they did not get a trial.
07:20 PM on 6/12/2011
We did not kill 500,000 people. Why are you blaming the US when most of the killing was done by the former Baathist thugs that controlled the government­. So quick to blame us, yet Saddam had killed thousands of his own people, gassed them and executed them and we got rid of him. No porsche, we were not the problem. I guess it bothers you that we got rid of a criminal thug who invaded Kuwait and threatened our own oil supplies to boot. Blame Saddam and blame his thugs, and of course al qaida.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
porsche996
You're not what you own
07:35 PM on 6/12/2011
Thank you for your fact free response..­..very light....e­specially enjoyed the comedy part about Al Que'da in Iraq.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Edward Standley
opinionated jerk
23 hours ago (9:31 PM)
There was no al-Qaida in Iraq until Aug, 2003.
21 hours ago (11:57 PM)
Do you really believe the words you Have typed?

Blame saddam for the damage caused and deaths incurred?

That's like blaming the tsunami for the dysentery that came after...

Idiot
23 hours ago (9:19 PM)
500K is a grossly malicious lie.
Such numbers are put forth by the Pasdaran.
No reputable, internatio­nal body says such a thing.
The US military has rules of engagement­,
and they are vigorously enforced.
Ask _any_ combat veteran.
If you know better, I'd advise you to present your data to the Pentagon.
If it has any merit, they will initiate investigat­ions and prosecutio­ns.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
porsche996
You're not what you own
23 hours ago (9:37 PM)
Ahhh, thank you...I knew some rank apologist of unwarrante­d mass murder would rise to the bait...ple­ase sir...stra­ighten me out...just exactly how many innocents have we KIA'd in the name of the great lie?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Vincent Van Der Hyde
The truth will set you free.
22 hours ago (10:38 PM)
a. Ya, I remember 'rules of engagement­'. In Vietnam they were called 'free fire zones'.
In Iraq they were called, 'if it moves, shoot it'.
b. Rules of engagement don't apply to contract mercenarie­s.
c. Or to bombs, rockets, or artillery. 'Fire and forget'
06:44 PM on 6/12/2011
I've been to Deera Square, although I was careful to avoid Fridays when the executions take place. The Saudis like to push curious foreigners to the front of the crowds when the beheadings are performed.
23 hours ago (9:49 PM)
Was this recent? I'd heard the executions were unschedule­d now.
23 hours ago (9:59 PM)
15 years ago. Actually most of the punishment­s meted out are beatings. Most executions are not scheduled.­..the victim is drugged and has now forewarnin­g of what will happen. Still, I would avoid the place on Fridays. Actually, I would avoid the country ....
06:24 PM on 6/12/2011
Saudi Arabia is a medieval kingdom with a large supply of oil. Most Arab Muslims are fundamenta­list barbarians who treat women as chattels and share a worldview that wants to return to the 7th century. If there was no oil there the entire Middle East would still be part of the Ottoman Empire. The so-called "Arab Spring" isn't a democratic revolution­, it is anarchy. Once the secular dictators are gone the various states will become Islamic Republics, like Iran. We have betrayed our allies and are spending immense amounts of money to raise up more enemies against us. Hos much more stupid can we get?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
porsche996
You're not what you own
06:45 PM on 6/12/2011
Oh you aint seen nuttin yet....the children of the corn are about to take over the power spots in DC.

All are punished.
23 hours ago (9:50 PM)
Oil's important -- to the entire world.
The alternativ­e is not a Luddite's Paradise.
It's mass starvation -- the culling of humanity will start with the poor,
and it's not the poor in the US or Saudi that'll be first to go.

For all its faults, the Kingdom has done a remarkable job
keeping prices stable -- even when that meant overproduc­ing
their own wells and putting their own economic futures at risk.
Like it our not, they're our allies -- it's a relationsh­ip that benefits
both states, and the entire world.
Until Saudi reserves run down,
the Gulf is part of our strategic interests.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
lizr
Adventures in consciousness
21 hours ago (11:34 PM)
Politics of oil makes us lie down with dogs.

not a pretty picture.

there WERE alternativ­es.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Vincent Van Der Hyde
The truth will set you free.
22 hours ago (10:43 PM)
"Hos much more stupid can we get?"
Well, a lot more stupid
by keeping our friends the dictators in power.
04:16 PM on 6/12/2011
Our govt. has no balls.

We are quick to criticize China and others over human rights violations but Saudi Arabia is hands off...

I guess oil is the answer
05:08 PM on 6/12/2011
well at least that's a good reason.
23 hours ago (9:24 PM)
You might be surprised what the US says to its Saudi allies on this topic -- there lots to read, if you are actually interested to know something about it.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
lizr
Adventures in consciousness
21 hours ago (11:33 PM)
Since you are so in the know...:)
why dont you share with us your wisdom?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Vincent Van Der Hyde
The truth will set you free.
22 hours ago (10:44 PM)
They are our friends.
They love us.
They love our way of life.
Just ask the 15 of 19 who came here to learn to be pilots.
03:39 PM on 6/12/2011
To the USA we are repulsed by this type of swift justice. They may be repulsed by lethal injection. Swift justice no jail crowding like a easy button. With a very speedy trial without the fairness but it is their way. They probably think our system is flawed allowing so many to live for crimes they would execute you for. BUY AMERICANWH­EN YOUCAN
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Vincent Van Der Hyde
The truth will set you free.
22 hours ago (10:46 PM)
I want to buy an American made TV,
I want to buy an American made shirt,
I want to buy an American made pen,
I want to buy an American made computer,
I want to buy an American made car,
I want to buy an American made steel beam,
I want to buy an American made pair of shoes.
Like where would I do that?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
lizr
Adventures in consciousness
21 hours ago (11:32 PM)
get in your time travel machine
13 hours ago (7:28 AM)
Maybe i should change it to when you can find it, but if you can vince buy.