Bangladeshi authorities say they were not informed of the execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in Saudi Arabia until after it had taken place, and have asked Riyadh for details of the case. A man and woman were executed last Wednesday in Mecca after being convicted of committing an "indecent act" inside a mosque, according to the Saudi interior ministry.
Bangladesh says it was not notified beforehand of the execution, local media report. State minister for foreign affairs Shama Obaed Islam said the government had reached out to Saudi authorities about the offences involved and legal proceedings, and would consider next steps, including the repatriation of the bodies, once it receives information. She said the government was committed to safeguarding the welfare and interests of Bangladeshis abroad.
The Saudi interior ministry said the pair were convicted and sentenced to death under "tazir", the Islamic law category for punishments left to the discretion of a judge. The ministry cited the severity of the offence and the violation of the "sanctity" of the mosque, but did not specify the nature of the act.
The Daily Star reported that the two executed nationals appeared on a list of prisoners Saudi Arabia shared with Bangladesh at the request of the Bangladeshi Consulate General in Jeddah, but that the list did not indicate they had been sentenced to death.
The case has raised public concern in Bangladesh, where more than three million nationals work and live in Saudi Arabia, mostly in low-paying jobs. Amnesty International says Saudi Arabia has executed around 100 people this year, many of them foreigners convicted of drug offences. In 2011, eight Bangladeshi men were publicly executed in Riyadh after being found guilty of killing an Egyptian.
Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia overturned the death sentence of a Sri Lankan man convicted of blasphemy over a Facebook comment, after the case sparked public outcry in Sri Lanka and diplomatic appeals for clemency.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Dhaka's claim that it learned of the executions only afterwards raises questions about how Saudi Arabia handles foreign nationals facing capital punishment on its soil.
- With more than three million Bangladeshi workers in the kingdom, the case has stirred public concern in Bangladesh and could test a relationship built on religious affinity and strong economic ties.
- Coming weeks after Saudi Arabia commuted a Sri Lankan man's death sentence, the case shows diplomatic pressure can influence outcomes in the kingdom.
Background
Saudi Arabia's criminal justice system applies Islamic law, including tazir punishments left to a judge's discretion, and the death penalty is used for a range of offences. Executions of foreign nationals are not unprecedented, and rights groups have voiced concerns about the number of executions carried out this year, many involving foreigners. Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia maintain close political and economic ties, with large numbers of Bangladeshi migrants working in the kingdom.
Key Perspectives
Bangladesh: The government says it was not informed of the executions in advance, has asked Saudi authorities for details of the offences and legal proceedings, and will consider next steps such as repatriating the bodies once it has that information. It frames the case within a commitment to protect Bangladeshis abroad.
Saudi Arabia: The interior ministry defends the executions as punishment for an "indecent act" inside a mosque, imposed under tazir because of the severity of the offence and the violation of the mosque's sanctity. It has not specified the act.
Human rights observers: Amnesty International's count of around 100 executions in the kingdom this year, many of them foreigners, points to broader concerns about the use of the death penalty and the position of migrant workers in the Saudi justice system.
What to Watch
- Saudi Arabia's response to Bangladesh's request for details of the offences and legal proceedings.
- Whether Bangladesh secures the repatriation of the bodies and any official account of why it was not notified.
- Whether public concern in Bangladesh escalates into official protest, and whether Riyadh shows similar clemency to that granted in the Sri Lankan case.