A 17-year-old boy charged with anti-government protests and carrying firearms is set to face death by crucifixion and beheading in Saudi Arabia, according to international media.
International Business Times reports that the Saudi teenager named Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in Qatif province on February 14, 2012 during some anti-government protests. He was held in prison without evidence and not allowed to speak to a lawyer, say human rights activists.
Furthermore, he was tortured to extract a confession and was not invited to or informed about an 'appeal' against his death sentence.
"No one should have to go through the ordeal Ali has suffered — torture, forced 'confession' and an unfair, secret trial process, resulting in a sentence of death by 'crucifixion,'" Maya Foa, director of human rights group Reprieve, said in a statement to mic.com. Al-Nimr was allegedly targeted because his uncle, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, is a noted critic of the kingdom, and is scheduled to be executed on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia imposes an extremely harsh form of Sharia which sanctions medieval punishments such as lashes, stoning, beheading and crucifixion. Its legal system has come under repeated fire from human rights activists and western countries for being arbitrary, unjust and uncompromising to minors. The Saudi monarchy under King Salman has stepped up executions, with 79 reported this year as of May 6.
"Saudi Arabia is one of the countries that executes the most people in the world, often after people have been tortured into confessions or had unfair trials," Reprieve press officer Alice Gillham told Mic.com. "It's pretty shocking that this person was convicted as a juvenile and is now set to be executed."
In 2014, blogger Raif Badawi was sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in jail for 'insulting Islam' through electronic media. Only 50 of the lashes have been carried out yet, as Badawi continues to suffer from poor health.
On Twitter, #FreeNimr is being used to protest against the planned crucifixion and beheading of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr.
