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| Partially deaf and blind Saudi man 'moved into solitary confinement in preparation for his execution' | Partially deaf and blind Saudi man 'moved into solitary confinement in preparation for his execution' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| A disabled man sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for attending a protest has been moved into solitary confinement in preparation for his execution, a human rights group has claimed. | |
| Munir al-Adam was found guilty of “attacks on police” and other offences during protests in the east of the kingdom in the April 2012. | Munir al-Adam was found guilty of “attacks on police” and other offences during protests in the east of the kingdom in the April 2012. |
| A court in the country's capital, Riyadh, sentenced the 23-year-old to death in January last year. That sentence was upheld in May 2017. | A court in the country's capital, Riyadh, sentenced the 23-year-old to death in January last year. That sentence was upheld in May 2017. |
| Mr Adam has impaired sight and was already partially deaf when he was arrested, but he now cannot hear in one ear at all. He claims this is a result of being badly beaten by police. | |
| Human rights group Reprieve, said Saudi authorities had not given a reason for his move to solitary confinement, which took place on 22 June. But it said prisoners were usually transferred into cells alone prior to their execution. | Human rights group Reprieve, said Saudi authorities had not given a reason for his move to solitary confinement, which took place on 22 June. But it said prisoners were usually transferred into cells alone prior to their execution. |
| Mr Adam's family had not been allowed to visit him, the group said, adding that it believed he was being held in a cell for 24 hours a day without outdoor exercise breaks. | Mr Adam's family had not been allowed to visit him, the group said, adding that it believed he was being held in a cell for 24 hours a day without outdoor exercise breaks. |
| The 23-year-old steel cable worker could be executed at any moment without his family being notified, Reprieve director Maya Foa said. | The 23-year-old steel cable worker could be executed at any moment without his family being notified, Reprieve director Maya Foa said. |
| "There’s usually no date and no location given," she added. "The system is incredibly secretive and opaque, which adds to the distress for the families of those involved." | |
| Reprieve said the case against Mr Adam – made in a secretive criminal trial – relied on a false confession he was tortured into giving. He has since retracted the statement. | Reprieve said the case against Mr Adam – made in a secretive criminal trial – relied on a false confession he was tortured into giving. He has since retracted the statement. |
| In May, the Saudi Specialised Criminal Court upheld the death sentence against Mr Adam, days after US President Donald Trump visited the kingdom. | In May, the Saudi Specialised Criminal Court upheld the death sentence against Mr Adam, days after US President Donald Trump visited the kingdom. |
| Reprieve had called on Mr Trump to raise the issue of human rights during the trip, but he is not thought to have broached the subject. | Reprieve had called on Mr Trump to raise the issue of human rights during the trip, but he is not thought to have broached the subject. |
| News that Mr Adam had been moved into solitary confinement came after the Saudi interior minister announced that six people were executed earlier this week. Among them was a Pakistani man arrested for drug offences. | News that Mr Adam had been moved into solitary confinement came after the Saudi interior minister announced that six people were executed earlier this week. Among them was a Pakistani man arrested for drug offences. |
| The deaths are thought to bring the number of executions by Saudi Arabia this year to 44. | The deaths are thought to bring the number of executions by Saudi Arabia this year to 44. |
| The oil-rich Middle Eastern kingdom has one of the highest execution rates in the world, handing down the death penalty for terror, murder, rape and armed robbery, but also for non-violent crimes including drug trafficking offences. | |
| The country executed a record 158 people in 2015 and another 153 people last year, according to Amnesty International. | The country executed a record 158 people in 2015 and another 153 people last year, according to Amnesty International. |
| A June report by Reprieve found that 41 per cent of those executed in Saudi Arabia in 2017 were killed for non-violent acts such as attending political protests. | A June report by Reprieve found that 41 per cent of those executed in Saudi Arabia in 2017 were killed for non-violent acts such as attending political protests. |
| UN experts have called for an end to executions for non-violent offences, but authorities claim the death penalty acts as a useful deterrent to criminals. | UN experts have called for an end to executions for non-violent offences, but authorities claim the death penalty acts as a useful deterrent to criminals. |
| The most common form of execution in the kingdom, which enforces ultra-conservative Islamic laws, is beheading by sword. | |
| Earlier this week campaigners in the UK lost a high profile case calling on the Government to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia because of humanitarian concerns. | Earlier this week campaigners in the UK lost a high profile case calling on the Government to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia because of humanitarian concerns. |
| Campaign Against the Arms Trade had presented hundreds of pages of evidence from the UN and the European parliament, among other organisations, of air strikes in Yemen. | Campaign Against the Arms Trade had presented hundreds of pages of evidence from the UN and the European parliament, among other organisations, of air strikes in Yemen. |
| But judges said the material, although "substantial" was only "part of the picture". | But judges said the material, although "substantial" was only "part of the picture". |