Saudi Arabia: Deplorable execution exposes broken promise to halt death penalty for juveniles

22 August 2025

Reacting to the news that Saudi authorities executed Jalal Labbad on 21 August 2025 for crimes allegedly committed when he was under 18 years of age [a child], Bissan Fakih, Amnesty International’s Middle East Campaigner, said:

“Saudi Arabia’s execution of Jalal Labbad is deplorable and underscores the devastating toll of the authorities’ ruthless use of the death penalty in complete disregard of one of the most absolute prohibitions to its use. The imposition of the death penalty for crimes allegedly committed by people when they were children is prohibited under international human rights law and customary international law.

It is past time Saudi Arabia put an end to its disgraceful use of the death penalty, which includes executing people for crimes they allegedly committed as children, and leaves families torn apart and devastated.

Bissan Fakih, Amnesty International
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/08/saudi-arabia-deplorable-execution-exposes-broken-promise-to-halt-death-penalty-for-juveniles/