The UK government has announced that it will drop its bid to provide services to the Saudi prison system.
With two juveniles at imminent risk of execution by the Saudi authorities, this decision could not have come soon enough – thank you to everyone who joined our campaign to make it happen.
Over 7,000 of us emailed Justice Minister Michael Gove to let him know that the UK government cannot be complicit in the same system that is threatening to execute juveniles for the ‘crime’ of protesting. Ali al-Nimr and Dawoud al-Marhoon were both 17 when they were arrested and tortured into ‘confessions’ in the wake of political protests in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. They were both sentenced to death. Executions are shrouded in secrecy in Saudi Arabia, and it is possible that both juveniles could now be executed at any time, without prior notification to their families. Both face execution by beheading – Ali was sentenced to ‘crucifixion’, which involves public display of his body after he is beheaded. Cancelling the bid has sent a clear message that the UK does not support Saudi Arabia’s gross violations of human rights – a message that comes at a crucial time, with fears that Ali and Dawoud could be executed at any moment as both are moved into solitary confinement. Reprieve continues to work on Ali and Dawoud’s cases and we are now calling on David Cameron to use this moment of opportunity to prevent these brutal executions. “He’s in solitary confinement – I fear he could be executed at any moment” – Ali al-Nimr’s father speaks out. Click here to read.
