Death penalties for 3 Saudis revoked in Iraq

JEDDAH: The death penalties of three Saudis in Iraq have been revoked while three others are still on death row in various prisons in Iraq, an informed sources said.
The prisoners whose lives have been spared are Nasser Al-Doussary, Ali Al-Murri and Abdul Rahman Al-Shamrani who is believed to be youngest Saudi prisoner in Iraq, the source said.
“The capital punishment against Abdullah Al-Qahtani, Faisal Al-Faraj and Shadi Al-Saedi have not yet been repealed,” a local daily reported quoting the source.
Al-Saedi, who was condemned to death two years ago and now confirmed to be waiting for execution, had his verdict repealed last year in view of his lack of involvement in serious violations such as terror. However, the Justice Ministry or the Interior Ministry did not officially inform him that his punishment was revoked.
The source attributed the second death penalty against Al-Saedi to the stubborn stand of Iraqi authorities against Saudis. The judge who issued the second judgment chided the Iraqi lawyer for taking up Al-Saedi’s case and told her that the latest verdict could not be appealed.
It was reported last week that a Saudi prisoner, Mazen Nashi, was executed on Aug. 27, even though the Iraqi ambassador in Riyadh said he did not get any official confirmation on the execution from his government.
Trespassing to Iraqi territory, the charge against Al-Saedi, did not invite capital punishment according to Iraqi laws. The legally prescribed punishment in such a case is jail time between six months to 15 years.
According to the source, the appeal court will not entertain any appeal in the Al-Saedi case unless raised with “logical, real and lawful reasons.”
Relatives of the Saudi prisoners demand that the prisoner swap agreement between the Kingdom and Iraq should cover prisoners on death row especially in the light of the delay in the endorsement of the swap agreement by the Iraqi parliament. The Saudis awaiting execution are housed in maximum-security prisons such as Al-Nassiriya, Al-Rusafat and Al-Taji.
Earlier reports said there were only 26 Saudis in Iraq’s prisons, including six on death row, while the others are serving sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years.
In March, Iraq agreed to repatriate Saudi prisoners who fought alongside rebels against US-led forces. According to the prisoner exchange deal, death sentences, charges and fines will remain unchanged.
Muslim Al-Saedi, father of Shadi, said his 21-year-old son was missing on an Eid Al-Fitr day seven years ago. Later he learned from the Passport Department that his son had traveled to Jordan. Three months later he received a call saying that his son was in Iraqi jail on charge of illegally entering Iraq.