Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Saudi Arabia's strict law. PHOTO: AFP
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday beheaded by the sword a Pakistani man convicted of drug trafficking, the interior ministry said.
Aqeel Khan Mohammed Riyad was convicted of attempting to smuggle heroin into the Muslim kingdom, the ministry said in a statement carried by state news agency SPA.
He was beheaded in the capital.
His execution brings to 15 the number of people beheaded in Saudi Arabia so far this year.
In 2012, the kingdom executed 76 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The US-based Human Rights Watch put the number at 69.
Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death under Saudi Arabia's strict law.
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@Vivek: MaashaaAllah, great to see some Salafi brothers here. Its sometime extremely irritating reading these modernist's views but keep patience brother, may Allah reward you.
@shah,
YES.
Muhammad bin Saud and Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab concluded an agreement that they thought would bring the Arabs of the peninsula back to the "true" principles of Islam as they saw it. As the first step towards achieving this goal, they have implemented the shariah. Adherents to the Wahhabi movement take their theological viewpoint with an aspiration to assimilate with the beliefs of the early Muslims, which over a period of time got corrupted. So, whatever they have done so far is for the greater good of the ummah. Pakistan should adopt the practices quickly to truly become a beacon of light for the ummah. Inshallah. This should happen quickly.
@kaalchakra - "SHB, also, justice swiftly and effectively delivered has a great deterrent effect. I love this aspect of Islamic justice. it is visible, clear, and appropriate."
Appearsl you've never been at the receiving end of a flawed trial and miscarriage of this kind of justice in your life.. No wonder you love it...
@Khan "@John B: "..You know very little about blood money. Blood money is only in the case when the victim (if alive) or his/her heirs (if victim got murdered) are agreed to it, it is purely in their hand unless it is proven that the assault was by mistake and was not intended. Get some knowledge of something before criticizing it..."
So why be angry about american 'diplomat' Raymond Davis paying blood money and getting away?
Such primitive laws are not desirable in the present day world but each country has the right to follow its own judicial system which cannot be challenged by others. However, such a harsh law should be made applicable in rarest of the rare cases namely for those indulging in terrorism and sectarian violence, killing innocent people and where law of the land had completely failed to prosecute them. Pakistan is a fit case for implementation of such a law as conviction of terrorists and sectarian killers is almost negligible with the present judicial system and the country is almost on the brink.
@Observer: are you sure its strictly Allah's law the Saudi follows?
@Observer: And therein lies the problem.
Remember Crime is Crime...Saudi Judicial System is far better than most of the other World's...
they did the right thing...for your kind info , this is due to the Strict Laws that they are living in peace and harmony(having the largest expat ratio in the world)...
if anyone has any problem with the laws...they must not go to KSA...
"Apostasy is a crime and is punishable by death" --And people wonder why Islamic societies always struggle with democracy. If a society cannot tolerate a different opinion, how can it possibly evolve and progress?
@John B: You know very little about blood money. Blood money is only in the case when the victim (if alive) or his/her heirs (if victim got murdered) are agreed to it, it is purely in their hand unless it is proven that the assault was by mistake and was not intended. Get some knowledge of something before criticizing it.
Islam is a beautiful religion, and the shariah is the perfect judicial system. I hope one day Pakistan implements shariah in it's full glory like they do in Saudi Arabia. Mashallah!! That will the day to rejoice. Inshallah !! one day it will happen.
@Mj: The modern judicial system is crap and only protects the criminals. The judicial system in KSA gives justice, everything is in the hand of the judge there. Have you ever met any of the judges appointed there? They are like angels in this big bad world. The most pious people you would ever meet, if you get a chance to meet them.
@Chaigram: @Haider Ali: "Why no Americans ...." because Islamic law favors only the rich and if I pay blood money, I can get away with any thing ?"
I would love to see a Saudi being punished to death for rape and drug trafficking. Modern day Saudis are more criminal than Pakistanis but their laws are selectively applicable.
What if Afia is punished in US for her deeds?
@Chaigram:
Maybe Americans are smart enough not to commit serious crimes in Islamic countries with Sharia law?
As Sheikh Rasheed would say: There is always a face behind a case. There is always an importer or consumer behind a trafficker.
@SHB: Why doesn't the same law applies to an American (or for that matter any western country)?
It is shameful that they are doing this to us when we are an Islamic Republic. Would they dare do this to USA or UK citizens? Why are Saudis pandering to Kaffir and killing Muslims?
@kaalchakra:
Thanks for appreciating this.
A stitch in time saves nine ....
First of all dealing in narcotics/drugs is a illegal business than why people indulge themselves in such illegal business at the cost of their lives?
Can't people do some good and clean business in which they can earn 'Halal Money' and at same time earn good name for the country.
Sad....where are the Human Rights Brigade people crying hoarse over Kashmir?
Mj - Your comment is blasphemous. SA has HOLY QURAN as constitution. It applies GREATEST ISLAMIC LAW for JUSTICE.
@Mj:
KSA does have Sharia to guide its legal system. Don't Muslims believe it is Allah's law and therefore it is perfect?
Death penalty itself is something that should be removed in civilized societies (and yes I know that apart from Pakistan, India, USA and CHina also have that). But BEHEADING? Ridiculous.
@SHB: "Accept the law of the land before doing any thing bad in a given country. This is one lesson from this news for every body."
If the person gets due process in Saudi courts - yes. But if conviction can happen without the person having the right to defend, how do you know the person actually committed the crime he was charged with?
It is strange that this news appears at the heels of the opinion that glorified on the beauty of Islamic law which does not condone capital punishment and how forgiving it is and questioned why Azal Guru was sent to gallows instead of life imprisonment.
@Mj: As there is no fair trial system in place, many innocent Pakistanis and Afghans were beheaded because they were carrying "Niswar". A Pakistani whose sons was arrested was given a reprieve in his son's sentence, but the father appealed for further reduction in the sentence to the higher court. the court doubled the original sentence. Every thing there depends on the mood of the judge.
SHB, also, justice swiftly and effectively delivered has a great deterrent effect. I love this aspect of Islamic justice. it is visible, clear, and appropriate.
Waiting for sermons from Indians.
@SHB: Do your views about Saudi laws apply equally to all countries of the world or, as I suspect, you have, in common with a vast majority of Pakistanis, a very soft corner for atrocious laws which prevail in Saudi Arabia?
@SHB:
KSA does not employ modern courtroom procedures, does not have a written constituition, and does not give the accused the chance of mounting a defense. I would not trust their courts to prove that a traffic violation has taken place, let alone give them the power to have a person beheaded mercilessly.
The Saudi paid extreamists and agencies are busy detroying pakistan should at least take this lesson from their masters by providing swift punishment to whoever is harming your country.
Accept the law of the land before doing any thing bad in a given country. This is one lesson from this news for every body.