Young Saudi dissident faces capital punishment for acts committed as a minor
Name(s):
Abdullah Al-Derazi
Status:
Detained
Year of birth:
1995
Nationality:
Saudi
Date of arrest:
Abdullah Al-Derazi is a Saudi citizen currently detained in Dammam Prison in Riyadh. During 2011 and 2012 as a minor, Al-Derazi participated in demonstrations to protest against the treatment of the Shiite minority in A-Qatif and the funerals of the victims who were killed by government forces during protests. He was brutally arrested and detained since 2014 for acts related to the exercise of his freedom of expression, and was sentenced by Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court and the Court of Appeal to the death penalty. His case is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
In 2011 and 2012, Abdullah Al-Derazi participated in demonstrations that took place in Al-Qatif district in Saudi Arabia while he was a minor, protesting against the treatment of Shiite citizens. He also took part in the funeral of Ahmad Mattar on 28 December 2012 with hundreds of other residents of Al-Qatif, during which they were protesting against the use of violence by police officers and security services, and the killing of tens of demonstrators.
On 27 August 2014, members of the Tarut Island Police Station arrested Abdullah Al-Derazi from the street in Al-Qatif after beating him severely and put in detention. Since then, he has been subjected to severe acts of torture, placed in solitary confinement and was denied communication with the outside world for prolonged periods of time.
In August 2017, after three years of detention, Abdullah Al-Derazi’s trial began before the Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh. He faced several charges related to his participation in demonstrations, marches, and funerals. Some of the charges relate to acts that have occurred when he was under 18 years old, including participating in the funeral of Ahmad Mattar.
On 20 February 2018, the Specialised Criminal Court sentenced him to death on the basis of vague and broad legal provisions and in spite of Saudi legislation and promises that the capital punishment will not be applied for acts committed as minors. The Specialised Criminal Court of Appeal upheld the decision on 7 August 2022. The case is now pending before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court may either grant a retrial or uphold the death sentences with a final decision, which would mean that he would be at risk of imminent execution. He is currently detained in Dammam prison.
On 14 June 2023, MENA Rights Group and the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights file a Request for Opinion to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, asking to recognise the arbitrariness of his detention and urge the Saudi authorities to release him or at least commute the sentence to a less severe one.
| Name(s): |
Abdullah Al-Derazi
|
| Status: |
Detained
|
| Year of birth: |
1995
|
| Nationality: |
Saudi
|
| Date of arrest: |
|
In 2011 and 2012, Abdullah Al-Derazi participated in demonstrations that took place in Al-Qatif district in Saudi Arabia while he was a minor, protesting against the treatment of Shiite citizens. He also took part in the funeral of Ahmad Mattar on 28 December 2012 with hundreds of other residents of Al-Qatif, during which they were protesting against the use of violence by police officers and security services, and the killing of tens of demonstrators.
On 27 August 2014, members of the Tarut Island Police Station arrested Abdullah Al-Derazi from the street in Al-Qatif after beating him severely and put in detention. Since then, he has been subjected to severe acts of torture, placed in solitary confinement and was denied communication with the outside world for prolonged periods of time.
In August 2017, after three years of detention, Abdullah Al-Derazi’s trial began before the Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh. He faced several charges related to his participation in demonstrations, marches, and funerals. Some of the charges relate to acts that have occurred when he was under 18 years old, including participating in the funeral of Ahmad Mattar.
On 20 February 2018, the Specialised Criminal Court sentenced him to death on the basis of vague and broad legal provisions and in spite of Saudi legislation and promises that the capital punishment will not be applied for acts committed as minors. The Specialised Criminal Court of Appeal upheld the decision on 7 August 2022. The case is now pending before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court may either grant a retrial or uphold the death sentences with a final decision, which would mean that he would be at risk of imminent execution. He is currently detained in Dammam prison.
On 14 June 2023, MENA Rights Group and the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights file a Request for Opinion to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, asking to recognise the arbitrariness of his detention and urge the Saudi authorities to release him or at least commute the sentence to a less severe one.
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