[Deathpenalty] Further Action Needed to Stop Execution of Several Persons in Saudi Arabia (fourth update to UA 299/06) PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY!

Tue Apr 17 23:06:16 UTC 2007

URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA

Note: Please write on behalf of these persons even though
you may not have received the original UA when issued
 on November 23, 2006. Thanks!

17 April 2007

Further Information on UA 299/06 (23 November 2006) and
follow-ups (09 November 2006, 26 January 2007, 01 February
2007) - Fear of Imminent Execution /Prison
Conditions/Medical Concern

SAUDI ARABIA
Hadi Sa'eed Al-Muteef (m), Saudi Arabian national, aged 31
Suliamon Olyfemi (m), Nigerian national, aged about 28
Siti Zainab Binti Duhri Rupa (f), Indonesian national
Ahmed al-Bahrani (m), Saudi Arabian

An unknown number of others under sentence of death

According to the Saudi Arabian Human Rights Commission, the
death sentence against Suliamon Olyfemi has been upheld by
the Court of Cassation and ratified by the Supreme Judicial
Council. Amnesty International fears that Suliamon Olyfemi
could be executed within days.

Suliamon Olyfemi, a Nigerian national, was reportedly
sentenced to death at a closed trial in May 2005 in
connection with the murder of a policeman in Jeddah in 2002.
He was one of 13 Nigerian men arrested in September 2002 in
connection with the murder. The twelve others were sentenced
to prison terms and corporal punishment. During his trial,
Suliamon Olyfemi was reported to have had no access to legal
representation or consular assistance, and did not have
adequate translation.

There is no further news about the other men named above. At
least 36 people are known to have been executed thus far
this year, though the true figure may be much higher.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Saudi Arabia applies the death penalty for a wide range of
offences. Court proceedings fall far short of international
standards for fair trial, and take place behind closed
doors.

Defendants are rarely allowed formal representation by a
lawyer, and in many cases are not informed of the progress
of legal proceedings against them. They may be convicted
solely on the basis of confessions obtained under duress,
torture or deception.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly
as possible:
- expressing concern that Nigerian national Suliamon Olyfemi
may be facing imminent execution, and calling for this
execution to be halted immediately;
- appealing to the authorities to commute the death
sentences against Suliamon Olyfemi and all of all those on
death row in Saudi Arabia as a matter of urgency, including,
Siti Zainab Binti Duhri Rupa and Ahmad al-Bahrani, with a
view to the abolition of the death penalty;
- seeking clarification of the steps being taken to enable
Suliamon Olyfemi and others to exercise effectively the
rights to judicial review and to seek a pardon.

APPEALS TO:
King Abdullah Bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Al-Saud
The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques
Office of His Majesty The King
Royal Court
Riyadh
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax (via Ministry of the Interior): 011 966 1 403 1185
Salutation: Your Majesty

His Royal Highness Prince Naif bin 'Abdul 'Aziz Al-Saud
Minister of the Interior
Ministry of the Interior
P.O. Box 2933
Airport Road
Riyadh 11134
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: 011 966 1 403 1185
Salutation: Your Royal Highness

His Royal Highness Prince Saud al-Faisal bin 'Abdul 'Aziz
Al-Saud
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nasseriya Street
Riyadh 11124
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax: 011 966 1 403 0645
Salutation: Your Royal Highness

COPIES TO:
Ambassador Adel A. Al-Jubeir
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
601 New Hampshire Ave. NW
Washington DC 20037
Fax: 1 202 944 3113
Email: info at saudiembassy.net

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.

Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement
that promotes and defends human rights.

This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including
contact information and stop action date (if applicable).
Thank you for your help with this appeal.

Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan at aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax:     202.675.8566

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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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