Ban Ki-moon dismayed over Rizana’s execution

by Manjula Fernando

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yesterday expressed dismay over the execution of Rizana Nafeeq in Saudi Arabia on January 6 disregarding repeated international pleas.

“The Secretary-General is dismayed by the execution,” Ban’s spokesperson said in a note to the media.

“He is concerned about reports of irregularities in her detention and trial, as well as the increase in the use of capital punishment in Saudi Arabia.”

He was joined by Independent UN experts and the world body’s human rights office all of who expressed outrage over her ‘cruel forms of execution’.

“We are deeply troubled by reports of irregularities in her detention and trial, including that no lawyer was present to assist her in key stages of her interrogation and trial, that language interpretation was poor, and Ms. Nafeek’s contention that she was physically assaulted and forced to sign a confession under duress,” Rupert Colville, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), told a news briefing in Geneva.

She noted with concern the disregard shown to the fact that she was a minor at the time of the baby’s death in her care and also the disregard shown to repeated expressions of concern from the international community. In November 2010, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christ of Heyns, sent an urgent appeal in connection with Rizana’s case. In June 2007, his predecessor, Philip Alston, had raised concerns about the imposition of the death penalty for an alleged crime committed when she was still below eighteen years of age.

Heyns was joined by two fellow Special Rapporteurs – dealing with torture and migrants – in expressing outrage over the execution.

“International law, accepted as binding by Saudi Arabia, is clear that it is unlawful to execute someone who was under 18 years when they allegedly committed a crime – moreover, beheading is a particularly cruel form of execution,” said Mr. Heyns.

“Currently, in Saudi Arabia, women do not have equal access to the courts or an equal opportunity to obtain justice,” the SG’s spokesperson added in his note to the media.

“The Secretary-General is concerned that this is a situation which is even more precarious for women migrant workers given their foreign status.”

Noting the sharp increase in the use of capital punishment in Saudi Arabia since 2011 Colville called on Saudi Arabia to ‘join the growing world’s movement away from the death penalty’.

In December last year, the UN General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution by a recorded vote calling on States to respect international standards providing safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of persons facing the death penalty.

The resolution called States not to impose capital punishment for offences committed by persons below 18 years of age and pregnant women.

Earlier France, the UK, the European Union and Norway condemned the cruel beheading of young Rizana