Death sentences of three young Saudis commuted to 10 years’ jail
February 8, 2021, 11:21 am

Death sentences of three young Saudis commuted to 10 years’ jail

Saudi Arabia said last April that it would no longer use the death sentence for individuals who committed crimes while still minors under 18 years of age. (iStock)

Three young Saudis had their death sentences commuted to 10 years in prison on Sunday, officials confirmed, after the Kingdom’s public prosecutor issued an order to review their sentences issued against them for crimes committed when they were minors.

Ali al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon, and Abdullah al-Zaher were arrested as minors in 2012 on terrorism-related charges after they took part in anti-government protests."Ali al-Nimr was re-sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, inclusive of time served... Therefore his release date has been set for 2022," the kingdom's Human Rights Commission (HRC) said in a statement.

https://twitter.com/HRCSaudi_EN/status/1358485184522448897

"Dawood al-Marhoon and Abdullah al-Zaher... have been re-sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, inclusive of time served, and will be released in 2022," it added.

The HRC said the new sentencing reflected the Royal Order issued in March 2020 that “retroactively applies the Juvenile Law to all individuals sentenced to the death penalty for crimes committed while they were minors.

Saudi Arabia said last April that it would no longer use the death sentence for individuals who committed crimes while still minors under 18 years of age, according to a document seen by Al Arabiya English at the time citing a royal decree by King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The abolishment of the death penalty on minors was the second major judicial reform last year after the Kingdom ended flogging as a form of punishment in “Ta’zir” cases, in a decision by Saudi Arabia’s General Commission for the Supreme Court. That punishment is to be replaced by prison sentences or fines, or both.

source: Ismaeel Naar

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”