Saudi Arabia has once again drawn international outrage over its use of the death penalty, after executing Abdullah Mohammed Al‑Derazi in the Eastern Province — despite credible reports confirming he was a minor at the time of his arrest more than eleven years ago.
The Ministry of Interior claimed that Al‑Derazi was convicted of “forming a terrorist organization” and “shooting at security forces.” However, human rights organizations say the charges were politically motivated and based on confessions extracted under torture, accusing authorities of criminalizing peaceful participation in protests in his hometown of Qatif in 2012 — when he was only 17 years old.
A Trial Marred by Irregularities
Court documents reviewed by rights groups reveal that the judiciary ignored defense claims of torture and issued a discretionary (ta’zir) death sentence — a legal term used in Saudi law when no conclusive evidence is presented, leaving the final ruling to the judge’s personal discretion.
Legal analysts note that such rulings are frequently applied in cases with political or sectarian dimensions, particularly in the Shia‑majority Eastern Province, where security crackdowns have been recurrent since 2011.
The execution of Al‑Derazi starkly contradicts the Saudi government’s 2021 announcement that it had abolished death sentences for minors, replacing them with a maximum prison term of ten years. Human rights organizations argue that “security and political exceptions” have rendered this reform meaningless, pointing out that other detainees arrested as minors — including Jalal Al‑Labbad, executed just two months ago — have met the same fate.
A Political Message Disguised as Justice
Al‑Derazi belonged to the Shia community of the Eastern Province, which has endured systematic repression, arbitrary arrests, and prolonged trials since the 2011 protests.
Observers believe the timing of this execution was politically calculated. It coincides with mounting international criticism of Riyadh’s escalating use of executions, even as the government attempts to rebrand itself through entertainment and sports megaprojects under Vision 2030.
A Gulf affairs researcher described the act succinctly:
“The message is clear — there will be no tolerance for political dissent, regardless of the defendant’s age or the credibility of the charges.”
Ignoring Global Appeals
Before the execution, organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch had called for a retrial, citing violations of due process.
Nevertheless, the sentence was carried out without prior notice to Al‑Derazi’s family and without public disclosure of the execution date — a direct breach of international fair trial standards under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The Saudi human rights group ALQST stated:
“The execution of Abdullah Al‑Derazi after more than a decade of imprisonment and torture completely demolishes the credibility of the so‑called judicial reforms promoted by Riyadh.”
Image vs. Reality
While Saudi Arabia showcases itself as an “open” and “modernizing” nation through lavish festivals and global sports events, the persistence of executions — even against child offenders — exposes the gap between the image of reform and the grim reality of repression.
A Saudi activist remarked:
“The government speaks of legal modernization, but what’s happening in the courts is simply a more bureaucratic version of the same old injustice.”
Justice as a Political Tool
The case of Abdullah Al‑Derazi is not an isolated tragedy, but part of a broader state pattern where the judiciary functions as a mechanism of control rather than justice.
Despite promises of reform, the Saudi regime continues to issue death sentences based on coerced confessions and vague accusations, while simultaneously branding itself as a modern, forward‑looking power under Vision 2030.
This execution serves as a stark reminder that, beneath the glittering façade of development and openness, Saudi justice remains anchored in fear and repression — a system that still belongs to the past, no matter how many times it rebrands itself for the future.
