Editorial Desk :
Authorities in Saudi Arabia have publicly beheaded a woman in Islam’s holy city of Mecca on January 12 of this year, prompting further criticism of the country’s human rights record. Laila Bint Abdul Muttalib Basim, a Burmese woman who resided in Saudi Arabia, was executed by sword on Monday after being dragged through the street and held down by four police officers. She was convicted of the sexual abuse and murder of her seven-year-old step-daughter.
Public beheading is part of an alarming trend, which has seen the Kingdom execute seven people in the first two weeks of this year. In 2014 the number of executions rose to 87 from 78 in 2013. Most people executed are those convicted of very serious crimes like adultery, murder, apostasy, and treason, among others.
Unfortunately, it is very easy to kill people and foreign migrants like the woman above remain
especially vulnerable to all sorts of abuse under the system. Since they don’t speak the language more often than not they have no real idea of what they are charged with and can’t even follow court proceedings because they don’t have mastery over Arabic Language. Foreign maids are especially at odds here with many maids from Indonesia and other countries like Nepal in death row. Many have also been executed due to charges of adultery or witchcraft being brought against them by their employers.
The kafala or sponsorship system under which most of the maids go to Saudi Arabia is unfortunately open to abuse as maids have no control over most aspects of their lives – they live in essentially slavery like conditions and many are subjected to sexual, physical, and mental harassment which they have to bear in solitude as they have no one to complain to. This is sufficient to turn some of them into deranged murderers and commit acts of tremendous violence – including murder. Sexual abuses are being committed by the Arab males.
Death sentence is also delivered in the United States of America and many other countries. Whether we approve of death sentence for all offences or not at all is a different matter. We want the Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia, the leading Muslim country, should not do anything that tarnishes the image of Islam. We disapprove public and brutal execution of death sentences by beheading in Saudi Arabia. If death sentence has to be given, even then execute it humanly and in a way that is acceptable globally. Nobody should forget that in Islam dead ones are entitled to be treated with dignity.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia have publicly beheaded a woman in Islam’s holy city of Mecca on January 12 of this year, prompting further criticism of the country’s human rights record. Laila Bint Abdul Muttalib Basim, a Burmese woman who resided in Saudi Arabia, was executed by sword on Monday after being dragged through the street and held down by four police officers. She was convicted of the sexual abuse and murder of her seven-year-old step-daughter.
Public beheading is part of an alarming trend, which has seen the Kingdom execute seven people in the first two weeks of this year. In 2014 the number of executions rose to 87 from 78 in 2013. Most people executed are those convicted of very serious crimes like adultery, murder, apostasy, and treason, among others.
Unfortunately, it is very easy to kill people and foreign migrants like the woman above remain
especially vulnerable to all sorts of abuse under the system. Since they don’t speak the language more often than not they have no real idea of what they are charged with and can’t even follow court proceedings because they don’t have mastery over Arabic Language. Foreign maids are especially at odds here with many maids from Indonesia and other countries like Nepal in death row. Many have also been executed due to charges of adultery or witchcraft being brought against them by their employers.
The kafala or sponsorship system under which most of the maids go to Saudi Arabia is unfortunately open to abuse as maids have no control over most aspects of their lives – they live in essentially slavery like conditions and many are subjected to sexual, physical, and mental harassment which they have to bear in solitude as they have no one to complain to. This is sufficient to turn some of them into deranged murderers and commit acts of tremendous violence – including murder. Sexual abuses are being committed by the Arab males.
Death sentence is also delivered in the United States of America and many other countries. Whether we approve of death sentence for all offences or not at all is a different matter. We want the Muslim countries, especially Saudi Arabia, the leading Muslim country, should not do anything that tarnishes the image of Islam. We disapprove public and brutal execution of death sentences by beheading in Saudi Arabia. If death sentence has to be given, even then execute it humanly and in a way that is acceptable globally. Nobody should forget that in Islam dead ones are entitled to be treated with dignity.
