UN Human Rights Chief Condemns Execution of 7 Men in S. Arabia

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay deplored the execution of 7 men in Saudi Arabia, described the move as violation of the international regulations.

“I strongly condemn the execution of these seven men,” Pillay said on Thursday.

“Under international safeguards adopted by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and reaffirmed by the General Assembly, capital punishment may be imposed only for ‘the most serious crimes’ and only after the most rigorous judicial process,” Pillay stated.

“In this particular case, no crime of murder or intentional killing was committed. Thus, the use of the death penalty in these seven cases constitutes violations of the international safeguards in the use of the death penalty,” she added.

The seven Saudis, executed on Wednesday, had been convicted of armed robbery.

The seven men received death sentences in 2009 after being arrested in 2006, but human rights groups said some of them were minors at the time of the alleged crime.