Let us all show some concern, some condolence, some sympathy, for an innocent Saudi teenaged boy who’s going to be crucified for attending only a protest, against the Saudi Arabian government’s brutality. The boy’s name is Ali Mohammad Al-Nimr.

Ali Mohammed’s execution should be stopped.

Ali Al-Nimr was a 17-year-old boy at the time of his arrest in 2012 for attending an anti-government rally. Now 21, he is accused of  “taking part in demonstrations against the government”, “explaining how to give first aid to protesters”,  and “using his Blackberry to invite others to join the cause”.  Isn’t it outrageous to give him so severe punishment because he spoke for his rights?

Ali al-Nimr’s final appeal to court was dismissed earlier in September and his death sentence by crucifixion can be carried out at any time.

His execution is apparently based on the authorities dislike for his famous uncle, Sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr, who was executed a few days ago for his involvement in anti-government protests. It would be yet another gross violation international law and tantamount to ridiculing the most basic standards of human rights.

During his trial, Ali al-Nimr was denied a lawyer and subjected to torture. According to reports, Al-Nimr was also forced to sign a confession in 2012, which was then used to sentence him to death in 2014.

His uncle, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, was a vocal critic of the Al-Saud regime. He struggled for democracy and a peaceful end to the autocratic rule of Al-Saud family. He has never been reported to have encouraged people into armed action. He believed in peaceful protests. All he asked was to have free and fair elections in Saudi Arabia.

The so-called western democracies, never get tired of giving others lectures about human rights and democracy. However, there has been criminal silence on part of them towards the inhuman treatment of Nimr al-Nimr and his nephew, except for few hardly discernable criticism. Why are they mute over the worsening human rights condition in Saudi Arabia?

Well, their hypocrisy stinks, and keeps stinking, and the stinkiest part is that Saudi Arabia is their closest ally. How could a country with such brutality be associated with the west explains a lot about the corrupt nature of the hypocrisy of the West.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of VoJ.