The Government punishes
criminals according to its interpretation of Shari'a (Islamic
law). Punishments include flogging, amputation, and execution by
beheading, stoning, or firing squad. The authorities acknowledged
120 executions during the year, an increase from 100 in 1999.
Executions included 62 persons convicted of murder, 21 convicted of
narcotics-related offenses, 22 convicted of rape, and 10 convicted of
armed robbery. The executions also included two women for murder
and three for drug trafficking. The men were executed by
beheading and the women were executed by firing squad. The
government of Nigeria criticized Saudi Arabia for the execution of
seven Nigerians convicted of bank robbery. In accordance with
Shari'a, the authorities may punish repeated thievery by amputation of
the right hand. There were 27 reports of amputations, including 7
reports of multiple amputations (right hand, left leg) for the crime of
highway robbery during the year. Persons convicted of less
serious offenses, such as alcohol-related offenses or being alone in
the company of an unrelated person of the opposite sex, sometimes were
punished by flogging with a cane.
On April 16, the Associated Press reported that 5 persons had been
sentenced to 2,600 lashes and 6 years in prison, and 4 persons to 2,400
lashes and 5 years' imprisonment, for "deviant sexual behavior."
Amnesty International reported in July that six men were executed on
charges of deviant sexual behavior, some of which were related to their
sexual orientation. Amnesty International was uncertain whether
the six men who were executed were among the nine who were sentenced to
flogging and imprisonment in April.
During the year, a court ordered that the eye of an Egyptian man be
removed as punishment for an attack 6 years ago in which he was
convicted of throwing acid on another Egyptian man. The victim,
who lost his eye in the attack and suffered other disfigurement, had
urged the court to implement Al-Qisas, the Shari'a provision
stipulating that the punishment be commensurate with the crime.
Press accounts stated that the convicted man's eye was removed at a
hospital in August.
|
