JEDDAH: The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) has called for the cancellation of capital punishment on minors.
“We have called for fixing legal age for punishments issued against suspects who are below 18, especially for capital punishment as they are minors and not responsible for their actions,” said Suhaila Zain Al-Abidine, chairperson of the committee for studies at the society.
One of the problems is that under Shariah the state cannot abrogate the rights of victims or their families to demand blood money or death for the crimes of rape or murder.
In order to avoid the abrogation of personal rights in capital cases, Al-Abidine made clear that the NSHR is advocating that minors in such cases be held until they are 18 before putting them to death if that is what is demanded by the family of the victim.
“We have made this demand in our annual report that has been presented to Justice Minister Mohammed Al-Eissa in order to look into the matter and issue alternative punishment to minors,” Al-Madinah Arabic daily quoted the official as saying.
“Minors have no right to spend their money except after reaching the age of 18. In the light of this it is better to fix this age for discretionary punishment. Minors sentenced for capital punishment should be kept in juvenile homes until they reach the legal age in order to carry out the punishment,” Al-Abidine said.
In addition to the capital crimes prescribed by Shariah, Saudi Arabia imposes the death penalty for drug trafficking.
Taiseer Al-Mohwes, a former judge at Jeddah General Court, said that the death penalty could be easily taken off the table for drug trafficking crimes involving minors.
