Saudi court quashes death sentence for 'apostate' poet
Ashraf Fayad has been sentenced to 800 lashes, in sessions of 50 lashes, according to his lawyer
Ashraf Fayad. PHOTO COURTESY: poetryfoundation.org
RIYADH:
A court in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday overturned a death sentence against a Palestinian poet convicted of apostasy, giving him eight years in prison instead, his lawyer said.
The court in the southwestern city of Abha "overturned the previous sentence to execute him for apostasy," the lawyer for Ashraf Fayad said in a statement he posted on Twitter.
The ruling follows widespread international criticism of the rising number of executions by the ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom.
Gunmen kill two Saudi policemen: police
Fayad was also sentenced to 800 lashes, in sessions of 50 lashes, his lawyer Abdul Rahman al-Malahim said.
He must repent through an announcement in official media.
The defence objects to the new ruling and has asked for Fayad's release, Malahim added.
Ethiopian among 2 executed in Saudi
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday executed an Ethiopian and one of its own citizens, both of them for murder, bringing to 58 the number of convicts put to death this year.
Khatar Doli Koji had been found guilty of beating another Ethiopian to death with a metal rod, and stealing money and a phone from him, the interior ministry said in a statement.
Authorities carried out the sentence against him in Riyadh.
Due process: KSA urged to ensure fair trial for Pakistanis
In a separate case, Mosaid al-Shahrani had been tried and found guilty of killing Hamad al-Shahrani with an automatic weapon after an argument, the ministry said.
It did not give further details of the connection between them but said the accused was put to death in the southwestern city of Abha.
Most executions in Saudi Arabia are done by beheading with a sword.
Outrage over cleric’s execution: Protesters storm Saudi embassy in Tehran
The kingdom on January 2 executed 47 people in a single day for "terrorism".
According to an AFP tally, Shahrani and Koji are among 11 other locals and foreigners put to death this year.
In 2015 the kingdom executed 153 people, mostly for drug trafficking or murder, according to an AFP tally.
A court in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday overturned a death sentence against a Palestinian poet convicted of apostasy, giving him eight years in prison instead, his lawyer said.
The court in the southwestern city of Abha "overturned the previous sentence to execute him for apostasy," the lawyer for Ashraf Fayad said in a statement he posted on Twitter.
The ruling follows widespread international criticism of the rising number of executions by the ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom.
Gunmen kill two Saudi policemen: police
Fayad was also sentenced to 800 lashes, in sessions of 50 lashes, his lawyer Abdul Rahman al-Malahim said.
He must repent through an announcement in official media.
The defence objects to the new ruling and has asked for Fayad's release, Malahim added.
Ethiopian among 2 executed in Saudi
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday executed an Ethiopian and one of its own citizens, both of them for murder, bringing to 58 the number of convicts put to death this year.
Khatar Doli Koji had been found guilty of beating another Ethiopian to death with a metal rod, and stealing money and a phone from him, the interior ministry said in a statement.
Authorities carried out the sentence against him in Riyadh.
Due process: KSA urged to ensure fair trial for Pakistanis
In a separate case, Mosaid al-Shahrani had been tried and found guilty of killing Hamad al-Shahrani with an automatic weapon after an argument, the ministry said.
It did not give further details of the connection between them but said the accused was put to death in the southwestern city of Abha.
Most executions in Saudi Arabia are done by beheading with a sword.
Outrage over cleric’s execution: Protesters storm Saudi embassy in Tehran
The kingdom on January 2 executed 47 people in a single day for "terrorism".
According to an AFP tally, Shahrani and Koji are among 11 other locals and foreigners put to death this year.
In 2015 the kingdom executed 153 people, mostly for drug trafficking or murder, according to an AFP tally.