Saudi sentenced to death for crimes committed as minor

RIYADH - A Saudi man convicted on armed robbery and murder charges when he was a minor was sentenced to death for the second time after a first ruling was overturned, rights groups said Thursday.

Abdullah al-Howaiti was arrested in 2017 at the age of 14 on charges of armed robbery and killing a police officer in Saudi Arabia's northern Tabuk province.

He was first sentenced to death in 2019, with five other defendants handed 15-year prison terms for allegedly aiding and abetting.

In November, the supreme court overturned Howaiti's sentence and called for a retrial.

Saudi human rights group ALQST condemned Wednesday's renewed death sentence, tweeting on Thursday that it followed "a grossly unfair trial".

"The alleged offence took place when al-Howaiti was only 14, showing the Saudi authorities' continued application of the death penalty against minors," it added.

In April 2020, the kingdom announced it was ending the death penalty for those convicted of crimes committed while they were under 18.

"This makes a mockery of Saudi Arabia's claim to have eliminated the death penalty for children," Britain-based campaign group Reprieve tweeted.

"Abdullah had an alibi and, as confirmed by court documents, CCTV footage showed he was 200km away from the scene of the crime," it said.

"He was tortured into signing a false 'confession'."

The wealthy Gulf country has one of the world's highest execution rates.

A total of nearly 70 people have been executed this year in the kingdom, according to an AFP tally based on official statements. - AFP