RIYADH, 18 March 2008 — The Cassation Court in Riyadh has overturned a “not-guilty” verdict on two commission members, who had allegedly beaten to death a 28-year-old man during a raid last year. The case has now been returned to Riyadh’s General Court for a fresh trial.
On Nov. 28 last year, the General Court acquitted two members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice on charges of killing Salman Al-Huraisi, a Saudi security guard, after raiding his home in Riyadh in search of alcohol and drugs.
According to Raif Badwi, one of the two lawyers representing the deceased’s family, judges at the Cassation Court identified over 20 “mistakes” in the original trial. “The case has now been returned to the General Court and is due to be reopened,” said Badwi.
“The fact that the outcome of the trial was rejected by judges at the Cassation Court is a good sign,” he said, adding that it is now up to judges in the General Court to determine when a new trial will be held.
The ruling was appealed after three judges at the General Court made the accused swear under oath that they had not taken part in the raid and beaten the deceased, leading the defendants to retract an earlier confession. Further, the General Court did not mention Al-Huraisi’s autopsy report, which stated that he had suffered severe head injuries. Judges also rejected the testimonies of witnesses who saw the defendants enter the house during the raid.
The 28-year-old was arrested on charges of bootlegging. He was handcuffed and taken to a local commission center along with 10 members of his family, who were in the building. Al-Huraisi later died in custody. An autopsy report concluded that he had been beaten and that this was the likely cause of death.
After interrogating 18 commission members who participated in the raid, the General Investigation and Prosecution Board concluded that the two defendants were responsible for the death.
