Amnesty calls on Saudi to abolish death penalty completely

Amnesty International has called on Saudi Arabia to completely abolish the death penalty.

This came after Riyadh announced that it plans to end the death penalty against people below the age of 18 at the time of the crime.

Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Regional Director Heba Morayef said in a statement that while the abolition of the death penalty for minors “represents a significant step for Saudi Arabia if implemented, the country’s continued use of the death penalty reached a shocking high last year with 184 recorded executions.”

The statement described Saudi Arabia’s death penalty record as “particularly bad”, adding the “ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading” death penalty should not be used.

READ: Saudi Arabia carried out 800 executions under King Salman

It pointed out that Saudi Arabia must now establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty completely.

“It should also not be forgotten that dozens of peaceful human rights activists remain detained following convictions in grossly unfair trials solely for campaigning for equality and justice in a vastly repressive environment,” it added.