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[Miles Quaritch]

Ali Mohammed al-Nimr's name is well-known in eastern Saudi Arabia, the hotbed of the country's Shia minority and the scene of a burgeoning protest movement.

Ali, 21, is the nephew of Shia cleric and activist Sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr, who was jailed and sentenced to death for his fiery speeches against Saudi Arabia's ruling House of Saud dynasty, which has controlled the Arabian Peninsula since the 1930s. Sheikh al-Nimr was detained and then sentenced to death on terrorism charges as well as "waging war on God" for his speech during anti-government protests in Qatif, a city that saw massive street protests followed by a bloody crackdown by the Saudi authorities in the wake of the Arab Spring.

Most of the 2.7 million Shia in Saudi Arabia live in al-Ahsa and al-Qatif districts in the country's eastern province, which also contains the bulk of the kingdom's oil. Ruled by a Sunni monarchy and under a strict interpretation of Islam, Wahabbism, Shia are often portrayed as heretics or agents of Riyadh's major rival, Iran.

It was revealed this week that Ali's appeal against the death penalty has been denied and he will be put to death by the Saudi authorities, first beheaded and then his body strapped to a cross and left to rot.

Ali was arrested in 2012 when he was 17 years old for taking part in a protest. According to anti-death penalty charity Reprieve, Ali was tortured and forced to sign a confession in 2012 and after two years he was sentenced to death in May 2014.

During his "trial", Ali raised the claims of torture but no investigation took place and the court used the confession to sentence him, the charity claims.

He was convicted under a range of charges, from the most seemingly innocuous to the gravely serious. As well as being accused of being part of a terrorist organisation, carrying weapons and targeting security patrols with Molotov cocktails, Ali was also charged with encouraging others to protest using his BlackBerry and explaining to others how to give first aid, Reprieve claimed in a statement on 17 September.

Ali's family allege that his connection to Sheikh al-Nimr is the real reason for the case, as well as the ongoing crackdown against Shia activists in the east of the country, which has gone largely unreported due to heavy restrictions on both the local and international media in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this year, activists in Qatif and elsewhere in the eastern province said that the rise of Islamic State and its virulent anti-Shia rhetoric had led to a surge in attacks on Saudi Shia. Just weeks after activists spoke to IBTimes UK about their concerns, a suicide bombing ripped through a mosque near Qatif, killing more than 30 people.

Reprieve claims that Ali was arrested without a warrant, has never been given access to his lawyer and was not informed of the charges until halfway through the proceedings. The first word that his family received about his case was this week, when it was revealed that his appeal had been turned down. As is tradition in Saudi, families are not informed at any time when the execution will take place.

Despite global condemnation, the Saudi Government has continued to carry out executions at a high rate since King Salman came to power in January 2015. On 6 May, the Kingdom carried out its 79th execution of the year, and it is already close to surpassing its 2014 total of 87 executions. The Saudi government maintains all cases are tried in accordance with Sharia law, and with strict fair trial standards observed.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/ali-mohammed-al-nimr-why-154852557.html#ekx12PF

So this is happening. In 2015.

Sigh.

 

[Shuggananas]

So this is happening. In 2015.

Yeah, death penalty is still in effect in uncivilized countries, news at 11

Not funny.

I was not trying to be funny ?

 

[TAJ]

Yeah, death penalty is still in effect in uncivilized countries, news at 11

Not funny.

 

[Any Questions]

Medieval

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Yeah, death penalty is still in effect in uncivilized countries, news at 11

How many countries strap headless bodies to a cross as part of their death penalty proceedings?

 

[Shuggananas]

How many countries strap headless bodies to a cross as part of their death penalty proceedings?

That's fucked up but the bad thing here is killing people, not fucking around with a dead body.

 

[dabig2]

Yeah, death penalty is still in effect in uncivilized countries, news at 11

There's death penalty, and then there's beheading him and leaving his body to rot on a cross. That's thoroughly old school, not to mention that such an execution is being handed down because he spoke out loud too much.

All this done by our ally, whose king was literally in the capital not too long ago, probably accepting bribe money and reassurances that the other huge theocratic asshole, Iran, won't steal away our love for Saudi Arabia.

 

[ChuChu]

This is terrorism, this is state sponsored terror. Actually, a bit more horrific than what ISIS does, because of the more organized nature of the Saudi state.

 

[Krixeus]

That's fucked up but the bad thing here is killing people, not fucking around with a dead body.

Why not both?

 

[EBE]

I don't know the first thing about Sharia law so what can I really say?

 

[Etrian Oddity]

never going to any of these medieval places in the Middle East

 

[Shuggananas]

Why not both?

Should have said "worst" instead of bad. Of course that other thing is terrible, but it doesn't make death penalty OK all of a sudden.

 

[Ethelwulf]

One word: inhuman.

 

[TAJ]

Call me crazy but persecution seems like the core problem here.

 

[abstract alien]

Not funny.

I don't think it was meant as a joke, but rather that it isn't surprising. It really isn't.

 

[Marauder Shields]

What a culture.

 

[Shadownet]

Yeah, death penalty is still in effect in uncivilized countries, news at 11


I was not trying to be funny ?

You have a pretty crappy sense of humor.

 

[Shuggananas]

You have a pretty crappy sense of humor.

Again it was not a joke.

 

[Yagharek]

Given Saudi Arabia export and fund a lot of terrorists worldwide it is absolutely obscene to see them try and murder someone for daring to oppose their dictatorship.

 

[Pandaman]

Again it was not a joke.

Some people like to think their bloodlust is different, accusing you of joking is a coping action.

 

[Nervous Sausage]

Is there any hope for this state? It's frightening that in 2015 Women aren't allowed to drive, homosexuals are executed, people are jailed for 10 years and given 1000 lashings merely for (using their brain) being accused of insulting Islam. The list goes on.

 

[jerry1594]

That's fucked up but the bad thing here is killing people, not fucking around with a dead body.

"Fucking around with a dead body" in that way is straight up Middle Ages. It's like you avoid common sense.

 

[Shuggananas]

"Fucking around with a dead body" in that way is straight up Middle Ages. It's like you avoid common sense.

I'm not defending it. I'm saying death penalty is a bigger problem and it's not exclusive to saudi arabia. Geez.

 

[jimbobsmells]

I'm not defending it. I'm saying death penalty is a bigger problem and it's not exclusive to saudi arabia. Geez.

It was the dismissive tone which was the problem.

 

[Any Questions]

The west only cares because they have oil. Our economy depends on it. If the place out comes from is a prison from its citizens the west don't care.

Token comments to tick the tut tut box to show back home were doing something.

Hurry up hydrogen and nuclear fusion. We need to get clean and cut our ties to oil.

Oh and we need to look at all our western oil companies who lobby and stymie any advances so they can keep the power and money their way.

 

[abstract alien]

Again it was not a joke.

This is one of the reasons I tend to stay away from threads like these, ones concerning rights, different ___isms, etc. Context has become a mythical abstraction on the internet.

 

[Marauder Shields]

I'm not defending it. I'm saying death penalty is a bigger problem and it's not exclusive to saudi arabia. Geez.

There's a bit of a difference between the death penalty being used for crimes like murder and it being used for crimes like saying words that hurt the ruling parties feelings.

 

[uncelestial]

Personally I say we crucify and behead Shuggananas.

Spoiler

Geez, guys.

ANYWAY, this is awful. It's still strange to me that Saudi Arabia are our "allies" when they are still a society that pulls this stuff.

"I get it, King Abdullah -- sometimes you just gotta torture people!"

Edit: My own post inspired me to learn more about that. Good article here for the curious:

Why the U.S. is Stuck With Saudi Arabia
Spoiler alert:

Spoiler

It's oil, basically.

 

[Psyrgery ES]

Fuck Saudi Arabia and fuck wahabism.

This is barbaric.

 

[Condom]

I don't think any country in the world still does this, I really hope it isn't true

 

[astroturfing]

wait what, if i read everything correctly he didn't even kill or rape or harm anyone seriously? he's getting beheaded and crucified by the Saudi government for talking and stuff? oookay....

 

[Ayt]

wait what, if i read everything correctly he didn't even kill or rape or harm anyone seriously? he's getting beheaded and crucified by the Saudi government for talking and stuff? oookay....

In Saudi Arabia, you can be executed for witchcraft and sorcery. It shouldn't be surprising that people considered political dissidents can be executed as well.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-16150381

 

[MrChom]

There's death penalty, and then there's beheading him and leaving his body to rot on a cross.

And both are equally something that should have been left in the 19th century. Sadly Barbarism still exists in the 21st century, but the number of countries involved is thankfully falling.

 

[Stereogatari]

Our good old ally. The guys that are responsible for modern day Islamist Extremist idealogy.

never going to any of these medieval places in the Middle East

Can you list the medieval places in particular?

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

They where establishing a Hezboloah like terrorist group and establishing a terrorist militia means death in Saudi Arabia,
Even Kuwait that is tolerant towards Shia was surprised to find an armed Hezboloah militia being set with a help of an Iranian diplomat.

After The Arabic Spring aka the middle east black death don't be surprised to see even less tolerance toward any religious militia from GCC countries.

 

[lastplayed]

Medieval

never going to any of these medieval places in the Middle East

"Fucking around with a dead body" in that way is straight up Middle Ages. It's like you avoid common sense.

Our good old ally. The guys that are responsible for modern day Islamist Extremist idealogy.


Can you list the medieval places in particular?

C'mon, don't bring the middle ages down like that. This sorta shit existed before and after the medieval period.

 

[GSG Flash]

They where establishing a Hezboloah like terrorist group and establishing a terrorist militia means death in Saudi Arabia,
Even Kuwait that is tolerant towards Shia was surprised to find an armed Hezboloah militia being set with a help of an Iranian diplomat.

After The Arabic Spring aka the middle east black death don't be surprised to see even less tolerance toward any religious militia from GCC countries.

And this, people, is a perfect example of Saudi brainwashing.

 

[abstract alien]

Why behead someone then crucify the dead body? There always seems to be a reason for their types of punishment, so I ask out of pure ignorance. Not sure if the wording is swapped or that's just how they carry it out.

 

[Unmasked Ferret]

Why behead someone then crucify the dead body? There always seems to be a reason for their types of punishment, so I ask out of pure ignorance. Not sure if the wording is swapped or that's just how they carry it out.

It serves as further warning to others not to go against the government.

 

[Stereogatari]

It serves as further warning to others not to go against the government.

Exactly. Classic tactic that has echoed down the ages on all continents.

 

[Danneee]

Just think about the situation in these countries when they run out of oil.

 

[Chuckie]

Why behead someone then crucify the dead body? There always seems to be a reason for their types of punishment, so I ask out of pure ignorance. Not sure if the wording is swapped or that's just how they carry it out.

Beheading is their 'standard' method of execution. I think the crucifying is to add insult to injury. Maybe as a deterrent to other 'criminals' or maybe as a religious punishment (iirc muslim bodies should be buried within a couple of days facing Mecca)

 

[Stereogatari]

Just think about the situation in these countries when they run out of oil.

They'll still be strong. They aren't stupid. They're investing in a whole bunch a stuff so they'll still be crazy rich when the oil runs out. But at least by that stage you'd hope US would stop the friendship, but perhaps by then there will be so much investment and economic ties with the West, that the friendship will continue.

 

[Shaanyboi]

Didn't we have a Gaf member from Saudi Arabia basically saying the west shouldn't talk ill about how SA operates since it apparently had its shit together way better than most other places?

Yeahhh.... about that....

 

[DerZuhälter]

Yeah, death penalty is still in effect in uncivilized countries, news at 11

never going to any of these medieval places in the Middle East

One critizises institutionalized capital punishment as uncivilized, the other one calls an entire region medieval.

Ban me for armchair moderating, but what the fuck is going on here?

 

[Kenshin001]

Barbaric disgusting country. Unfortunately the country would be even worse if the government were deposed. It'd be the Taliban x100.

 

[Siegcram]

One critizises institutionalized capital punishment as uncivilized, the other one calls an entire region medieval.

Ban me for armchair moderating, but what the fuck is going on here?

Not sure what's wrong with the first. Maybe not in that particular tone, but calling the death penalty "barbaric" isn't exactly controversial.

 

[Atolm]

So what's the difference between those guys and ISIS exactly? They have petrol?

I remember reading some time ago about a woman with mental issues that was decapitated by a mob on the street because she burned a Quran. Pretty crazy stuff.

 

[cameron]

There will never be social progress when activism and open dissent are punished with beheadings. Human Rights Watch and other organizations have documented the appalling treatment of Shia citizens in SA.

Didn't we have a Gaf member from Saudi Arabia basically saying the west shouldn't talk ill about how SA operates since it apparently had its shit together way better than most other places?

Yeahhh.... about that....

It would be interesting to read what GAF members from SA think about this.

 

[HazySaiyan]

Our allies, ladies and gentlemen. Fuck everything about this situation.

They where establishing a Hezboloah like terrorist group and establishing a terrorist militia means death in Saudi Arabia,
Even Kuwait that is tolerant towards Shia was surprised to find an armed Hezboloah militia being set with a help of an Iranian diplomat.

After The Arabic Spring aka the middle east black death don't be surprised to see even less tolerance toward any religious militia from GCC countries.

There really is a defence force for everything...