Sheikh Nimr’s Execution; Violation of International Covenants

The decree which was issued by Saudi Arabia is distorted and execution of Sheikh Nimr constitutes a violation of the Treaty of the Organization of Islamic Conference member states.

Although the atrocious execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir Al-Nimr had universal reverberations and led to considerable reactions in the diplomatic relations between Iran and the Saudi government and some of its allies, it is expected that this inhuman decree be criticized from Islamic human rights, Islamic penalty code, universal declaration of human rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights perspectives and international sanctions against Saudi Arabia be requested from Organization of the Islamic Conference.

The following pivots are to be perused in this regard:

1. The Saudi Foreign Ministry accused Sheikh Nimr of Moharebeh and included him in the Sunni terrorists’ list while this Shi’ite cleric did nothing but to peacefully criticize the Saudi government using a discursive opposition. The leader of Friday Prayers at the Shia-dwelling city of “Al-Awamia” at eastern Saudi Arabia, he used to merely criticize the Saudi government in his speeches. Therefore, it is quite natural to ask: On what grounds do the Saudis accuse Sheikh Nimr of Moharebeh and include him in the terrorists’ list while he never laid hands on weapons in his life.
2. According to Ali Aldbysy head of Saudi human rights in Europe “Saudi government’s decision to execute Sheikh Nimr issued by Muhammad bin Nayef and beyond the level of the country’s judicial decision-making and political decision has been taken with regard to the margin being King Solomon and his non-involvement in political cases quickly implemented in a timely manner. According to this statement it is clear that the death penalty of Sheikh Nimr did not issue by an independent and impartial court and with conditions such as respect for the right to defense, the right to have enough time to respond to the charges and the right of access to a lawyer too.
3. “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights” has unequivocally asserted absolute rights of the inmates and death row prisoners urging States Parties to the Covenant to become committed to its domestic implementation. The fourth paragraph of Article six in the Covenant explicitly maintains: Anyone sentenced to death shall have the right to seek pardon or commutation of the sentence. The third paragraph of Article nine also stresses: Anyone arrested or detained on a criminal charge shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to release.

The pursuit and investigation into charges of Sheikh Nimr suggest that not a single one of those articles has been implemented. Moreover, obstruction of the Free Flow of Information in Saudi Arabia, due to an atmosphere of censorship and repression, is also a clear evidence of non-observance of the accused rights.

4. The Saudi government is trying to instill this lie that the death sentences were issued without regard to religious affiliation after simultaneous execution of Sheikh Nimr and dozens of Sunni terrorist suspects.  But one of the charges in the arrest of Sheikh Nimr was his participation in a Quran conference attended by Bahrain’s Shiites. In this context it should be noted in accordance with paragraph (a) of the Islamic Declaration of Human Rights (Cairo Conference) no one can be prosecuted because of religious belief or political affiliation. As Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. And Article 19 of the Covenant also unequivocally states that no one can be harassed and feared because of the occasion of his ideas. According to aforementioned items, the execution of Sheikh Nimr constitutes a violation of the rights recognized in the Declaration of Human Rights, both Islamic and international.
5. The implementation of criminal sentences in Saudi Arabia is similar to the ISIS punishment system. .although both of them sentences people Regardless of justice system of charges and their trial audit and regardless to principles such as “the principle of legality of crimes and their punishments” Sentences without professional judges and No citations were issued laws, exposed to enforce on appropriate time.
6. Beheading with a sword and crucifixion in public as religious punishments are unauthorized, made-up and fabricated and also have no trace of genuineness in any religious texts.
7. The irony of the matter is that Saudi Arabia selected as head of one of the UN’s key forums of Human Rights Council at the end of the summer. This choice was made as Saudi regime has been one of the major human rights violators in the world.

According to what has been said with regard to the entry into force of the Cairo Declaration for all Islamic countries, the decree which was issued by Saudi Arabia is distorted and execution of Sheikh Nimr constitutes a violation of the Treaty of OIC member states .Therefore, it is suggested to use the capacity of human rights organizations at home and abroad, applying international sanctions against the government of Saudi demand. Extraordinary session of the heads of the Organization of Islamic Conference and the decision process that has taken Saudi Arabia in the field of human rights’ violation can be the most obvious of these demands.

The article written by Mohsin Solgi.