JEDDAH: The Court of Grievances has refused to consider the case of a 16-year-old Saudi whose father claims he was tried, convicted and executed for a crime he committed when he was a minor.
Abdullah Al-Zmami, the lawyer representing the boy’s father, Hussein Al-Hakami, said the court refused to consider the case saying it did not fall under its jurisdiction. “It’s shocking for us all. It contradicts the law,” said Al-Zmami, an attorney from Al-Zmami Law Firm.
The court has held 15 hearings into the case of Al-Hakami’s son, Mueed, who was executed in Jazan in 2004 for a crime he committed when he was 13.
According to Al-Zmami, the court concluded that the complaint contests procedures carried out by the judge who presided over the original case and that this, therefore, is an issue of jurisdiction. “The judge could have told us that on the first, second or third hearing, but not 15 hearings later. This raises a huge question mark,” he said.
Al-Zmami said the reasons provided were invalid. “If the reasons behind the court’s decision were valid, then the case should have been transferred to the concerned judicial body as Article 74 clearly states. But this did not happen,” he added.
“After the eighth court hearing, we were verbally informed of the court’s decision. The court then called us for seven more hearings. We were told that the judge was reconsidering his decision. We were handed over the final verdict four months after it was verbally read out to us,” he said.
“We have appealed the court’s decision ... we will continue in pursuing justice,” Al-Zmami said, adding that the Appeals Court in the Court of Grievances said it will look into the case.
Al-Hakami filed a lawsuit alleging police mishandled the case. He claims his son was questioned, convicted and beheaded without the presence of an attorney or family member. Mueed was arrested on July 12, 2004, at the age of 13 in connection with the rape and murder of a young boy in Jazan.
Al-Hakami told Arab News in March that Jazan police were pressuring him to drop charges. While his son was still alive, he filed five petitions, two to the Interior Ministry and one to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, requesting his son’s life be spared until higher authorities review the case.
The suit against the police also states that the family was denied information on the date their son was to be executed and that they were prevented from visiting him prior to his beheading.
