The boy, now aged 18, faces execution in Saudi Arabia after being imprisoned for years in pre-trial detention. Murtaja Qureiris was arrested when he was 13 years old for taking part in anti-government protests.
The prosecution sought the death penalty for Murtaja Qureiris in August of last year for a series of offences, some dating back to when he was 10 years old. CNN reported that Qureiris is facing the death penalty and published footage showing him participating in bicycle protests in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province as a young boy in 2011.
According to charging documents, prosecutors accused him of belonging to a “an extremist terror group.” Qureiris has denied the accusations against him and says he was forced to give a confession under duress.
If Saudi Arabia rules on the death penalty, Qureiris would be the third person executed this year who was younger than 18 at the time of the alleged offence.
Photo: “Death Noose” by Global Panorama is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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