Saudi Arabia executes two military personnel for treason

The state news agency (SPA) said on Thursday that the Saudi defence ministry had executed two military soldiers who had been charged with treason among other crimes.

According to SPA, which cited a statement from the ministry, the two officers—a pilot and a sergeant major—were detained in 2017 and later found guilty of treason and failing to uphold military dignity and the national interest. They were given death sentences.

According to SPA, they were directed to the appropriate court, given all of the legal protections, and made a confession to the charges against them.

The statement did not give details about the offences but the Saudi military was heavily engaged in Yemen in 2017, where the kingdom formed a coalition and had been fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi group since 2015.

Although most of the violence has stopped, Riyadh has found it difficult to leave the crisis, which has claimed thousands of lives and left millions of Yemenis in danger of starvation and disease.

In 2021, the monarchy also put to death three soldiers who had been found guilty of “high treason” and “cooperating with the enemy”.

Saudi Arabia’s record on human rights has drawn increased criticism from around the world. Amnesty International and other rights organisations have urged Riyadh to stop using the death sentence in light of claims of torture and unfair trials.

The monarchy executed 100 individuals this year and 196 people in 2022, according to Amnesty, the greatest amount ever noted in the previous 30 years.

(With agency inputs)