Not ISIS – Saudi Arabia Prepares to Execute and Publicly Display Beheaded Body of Political Activist in “Crucifixion”

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One of the ways that the U.S. government most clearly expresses its deep dedication to global human rights, democracy and decency across the globe is via its unwavering support for the feudal, inhumane tyrannical monarchy of Saudi Arabia. A monarchy that also increasingly seems to have played a key role in the attacks of September 11, 2001.

The Saudis have received a lot of bad press as of late due to it consistently breaking its own records for beheadings, but sometimes a simple beheading isn’t sufficient. In a punishment known as “crucifixion,” the executed person’s beheaded body is placed on public display for three days. Currently facing this fate are three political activists, including two children. We learn from Reprieve.org that:

Saudi Arabia has been urged to spare the lives of two juveniles and an ageing political activist, after plans emerged to execute at least one of them this Thursday (14th).

Sheikh Nimr Baqir Al Nimr, a 53-year old critic of the Saudi regime, and two juveniles, Ali Mohammed al-Nimr and Dawoud Hussain al-Marhoon, were arrested during a 2012 crackdown on anti-government protests in the Shiite province of Qatif. After a trial marred by irregularities, Mr Al Nimr was sentenced to death by crucifixion on charges including ‘insulting the King’ and delivering religious sermons that ‘disrupt national unity’. This week, it emerged that the authorities plan to execute him on Thursday, despite protests from the UN and Saudi human rights organizations.

The planned execution of Mr Al Nimr has prompted fears for the safety of the two juveniles, who were both 17 when they were arrested and eventually sentenced to death on similar charges. Both teenagers were tortured and denied access to lawyers, and faced trials that failed to meet international standards. All three prisoners, including Mr Al Nimr, have not yet exhausted their legal appeals.

Saudi Arabia has carried out executions at an unprecedented rate since the coming to power of King Salman in 2015. On May 6th 2015, the Kingdom carried out its 79th execution of the year, and it is already close to surpassing its 2014 total of 87 executions. Human rights organization Reprieve has urged the European Union to intervene with Saudi Arabia to prevent the killings.

It isn’t clear whether or not this execution has happened. As Vox notes:

Saudi Arabia is set to behead a man and publicly display his headless body (a practice called “crucifixion” in Saudi law) — for nothing more than speaking his mind. Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, an internationally respected Shia cleric, was sentenced to death for “disobeying the ruler,” “inciting sectarian strife,” and “encouraging, leading and participating in demonstrations.” His actual crime: participating in nonviolent protests and calling for the fall of the house of Saud.

It’s not clear when the Saudis plan on executing al-Nimr: the country has a habit of both postponing executions and carrying them out without very much warning. But the case illustrates a basic fact about one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East: its system of capital punishment is one of the cruelest on earth.

Meanwhile, publicly at least, the U.S. government remains as committed to the Saudis as ever. We learn the following from National Journal:

CAMP DAVID, Md.—Of the six Arab leaders invited to the summit, one was too busy, two called in sick, and a fourth skipped it to go to a horse show instead.

The Gulf Cooperation Council conference was nevertheless “the beginning of a new era of cooperation,” President Obama declared Thursday after a daylong series of meetings.

Obama laid out five points of agreement among all the countries, top among them a commitment by the United States to respond to an “external threat” to any of the nations’ territorial integrity, which could include the use of military force, as well as the development of a ballistic-missile defense for the Gulf nations. “And let me underscore, the United States keeps our commitments,” Obama said.

The Saudi highlight reel is a long one. Here are a few examples:

The New York Post Reports – FBI is Covering Up Saudi Links to 9/11 Attack

New Saudi King Unveils Internal Power Shake-up in Desperate Pivot Toward Increased Authoritarianism

Already 45 Beheadings in 2015 – Saudi Arabia on Pace to Easily Beat 2014’s Decapitation Level

Saudi Arabia Sentences 3 Lawyers to Jail for Tweets

Record Beheadings and the Mass Arrest of Christians – Is it ISIS? No it’s Saudi Arabia

How the NSA is Actively Helping Saudi Arabia to Crackdown on Dissent

Saudi Arabia Passes New Law that Declares Atheists “Terrorists”

In Liberty,
Michael Krieger

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6 thoughts on “Not ISIS – Saudi Arabia Prepares to Execute and Publicly Display Beheaded Body of Political Activist in “Crucifixion””

  1. Dear Michael,

    I have a question for you I would very much appreciate if you could answer. You were a trader on WallStreet, and you have an understanding of finance. My question to you is:
    Which book(s) would you recommend me to read in order to be a smart investor?

    I’m just looking to survive the coming years financially for me and my family. I have been reading enough non-mainstream media blogs to know the situation is pretty dire economically and from a democratic point of view. I have read a great deal about monetary history and I know that gold is supposed to save you against inflation and the risk government poses, but according to for example Martin Armstrong gold isn’t all that great and capital flows are much more important than any supposed inflation. According to him I could lose my shirt by listening too much to the gold promoters.
    So there is controversy in non-mainstream media circles.

    So, knowing that you are familiar with:
    – Martin Armstrong,
    – the gold-versus-paper-fiat-thesis,
    – Wallstreet
    – being a trader
    could you please recommend me which book or books I should read as a starting point in order to educate myself financially?

    I mean, I don’t even know where to start. I am asking myself: what is the most important?
    Is it stock market valuations? Is it foreign exchange markets? It is balancing your assets in your portfolio from a macro perspective? Is it the study of debt? Is it even more monetary history? Is it capital flow analysis (I think Martin Armstrong would say the latter)?

    I would really appreciate if you could recommend to me one or more books to read regarding what you think is the most important subject within finance.

    Thank you in advance, and keep up the good work you do,
    Mason

    Reply
  2. Thank you for this really good update. And my reaction is, where is the news in this as far as the US’ attitude toward those governments who commit hideous crimes up to torture and murder against the innocent, and just for speaking their minds about the ongoing injustices in their respective countries?!?! The US industry literally has been moved to China, leaving millions of Americans out of work, for example and we know WHAT the human rights violations in that one are like.
    To the US, its business as usual, regardless of what killings that are taking place anywhere. They make a big deal only when they intend to use that as a pretext to initiate a military assault and nothing more. The new name of the US should be United States of cowardly cover ups.

    And it’s extremely dishonest to keep on pointing to the Saudis about the 9/11 when we know that the Jews and the Americans were just as involved if not leading the way (it took the most powerful military in the world 80 mns to scramble 2 fighter jets when it was supposed to take less than 10 mns? now tell me the Saudis are responsible about that?!?!). Saudi is a doodoo hole when it comes to lots of things and not just human rights violations. Let’s discuss our huge problems.

    Another question: has this article been written only because Oboko is the one who happens to be in office right now? because the bush was guilty of much worse.

    Reply

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