RIYADH, 29 November 2007 — The judges in the case of two members of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice who were accused of causing the death of Salman Al-Huraisi following a raid of his house in May dismissed the charges yesterday in the Riyadh High Court.
The court in Riyadh “acquitted the two members of the Commission of the charge of being directly responsible for the death of Al-Huraisi, for lack of sufficient evidence,” the commission’s lawyer Yussef Al-Nuqaidan said.
The judges’ ruling came after they had listened to the testimony of eyewitnesses — who also worked for the Commission — who said the two defendants had entered the deceased’s house with a metal object. The two Commission members had earlier confessed to the judges that they had taken part in the raid and that they beat the suspect, which caused his death. However, in a later court session, they retracted their previous confession under oath.
The judges said the trial could not continue due to the fact that the evidence provided by the attorney representing the deceased’s family, as well as the testimonies from eyewitnesses were “not sufficient.”
A copy of the ruling, which was sent to Arab News, mentioned five reasons in which the three judges have stated to dismiss the case:
• That the testimonies of the eyewitnesses cannot be accepted because they said Commission members cannot testify against their colleagues;
• That the two defendants later retracted their confessions;
• That the testimonies of other Commission members in the case cannot be presented as evidence by the attorney representing the family;
• That family members have testified that the two defendants had beaten the deceased; and
• That the testimonies from the two defendants in their earlier confession did not mention that they had beaten the deceased in his head, which is considered the fatal blow which caused the death.
The case will now be transferred to the Cassation Court where judges will either uphold the Riyadh Court’s decision or ask for a re-trial. According to the attorney representing the family of the deceased, Yahya Al-Huraisi, the two Commission members had asked the judges to be released.
“I will submit an objection appeal to the Cassation Court mentioning the flaws in the case and also ask the judges to not allow the release of the defendants,” Al-Huraisi told Arab News.
Officials held the two Commission members responsible after a 3-month investigation in which investigators interrogated over 18 Commission members, as well as police officers who took part in the raid on Al-Huraisi’s house.
Salman Al-Huraisi, 28, worked as a security guard in a five-star hotel. According to his brother, he used to sell liquor to earn extra cash. Over 18 commission members, who did not include police officers, swooped down on Al-Huraisi’s house, breaking down doors, looking for him in the house. He was arrested in the house, handcuffed, and taken to Al-Uraijai Commission Center along with 10 family members who were in other apartments of the house during the raid.
