Saudi Cultural Week kicks off in Osaka to mark 70 years of Saudi-Japanese ties    Tourism Ministry shuts 10 unlicensed travel agencies in Riyadh    Saudi authorities arrest over 21,000 residency and labor violators in one week    Saudi graduates see record job market entry in 2024    Israeli defense minister boasts destruction of Beit Hanoun amid Gaza offensive    Von der Leyen vows to defend EU interests after Trump announces 30% tariffs    PKK lay down arms in northern Iraq in symbolic disarmament    U.S. judge blocks immigration arrests in Los Angeles over racial profiling claims    CMA approves major reforms to ease investment account access for foreign and local investors    Saudi Arabia reaffirms OPEC+ compliance as June crude supply hits 9.35 million bpd    Riyadh's Creative District to welcome Italy's Istituto Marangoni    France's Lady Liberty artwork goes viral as a new Statue of Liberty could be in the works    Saudi population reaches 35.3 million in 2024, majority under 65    Abdullah Al-Qaisoom wins silver at Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championship    Aubameyang's future at Al Qadsiah in doubt after cryptic post comparing Saudi League strikers    Theo Hernández: Al Hilal can compete with Europe's best    SFDA approves 'Winrevair' for rare pulmonary hypertension treatment    HONOR returns to Esports World Cup as Official Smartphone Partner for 2025 The renewed commitment will see HONOR elevate mobile esports competition with cutting-edge AI technologies and industry-leading hardware    Michael Madsen, actor of 'Kill Bill' and 'Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67    BTS are back: K-pop band confirm new album and tour    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Zidan: Iraq promises to delay Libyan's execution
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 10 - 12 - 2012

TRIPOLI — Prime Minister Ali Zidan told demonstrators protesting outside the General National Congress building and the adjoining Rixos Hotel here Saturday that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki had phoned him and promised that Adel Al-Shaalali, the 38-year-old Libyan sentenced by an Iraqi court to death in late August on terrorism charges, will not be executed as sheduled.
On Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had called on the Iraqi government to delay the execution.
Zidan also told the demonstrators that Maliki had promised him that Libyan human rights activist Ahmed Shami will be freed and back in Libya next week.
Shami, who has been working at the behest of the Libyan authorities to repatriate Libyans arrested in Iraq, was himself arrested on Oct. 18 and has been held ever since. An Iraqi court ordered his release on Nov. 6 but the Iraqi authorities have ignored the court order. It is widely believed he is being held because of the help he provided to Libyan detainees in Iraq.
Some hundred or so demonstrators had gathered outside the Rixos to demand action from the Libyan authorities to stop Sunday's execution.
It was organized by the Union of Libyan Revolutionaries as well as a number of NGOs including the Libyan Organization for the Protection of Aims of the 17 February Revolution, the Youth Awareness Association, the Humanitarian Awareness Coalition, and “Libya Called Me” Association.
The demonstrators attacked the government and Congress for not acting quickly enough over the issue of Libyan prisoners in Iraq. They demanded that Iraq prove its good will toward Libya by granting an amnesty for all remaining Libyans in Iraqi jails.
In Benghazi, student demonstrators outside the Tibesti Hotel threatened to attack Iraqis in the city if Shaalali were executed. They likewise criticized the government and GNC for failing to take action earlier to save Shaalali.
In New York, Human Rights Watch also demanded that Iraqi authorities stay the execution Shaalani as well as provide information on his case.
“The possibility that Iraq might execute Ahmed Shaalanli without revealing even basic information about his case highlights grave concerns about Iraq's justice system,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
“The Iraqi government should immediately stay Shaalali's execution.”
“International human rights law requires that where the death penalty has not been abolished, it should be imposed only for the most serious crimes and after scrupulous adherence to international fair trial standards.
Trials in Iraq often violate these minimum guarantees,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement.
According to it, four other Libyans are also on death row on unknown charges in Iraq. However, Libyan activists say that two, including Shaalali, are awaiting execution and that two have already been executed.
“The government of Iraq should place an immediate stay on all pending death sentences and issue a public and permanent moratorium on any use of the death penalty until it permanently abolishes capital punishment,” it added.
“Iraq should also order a thorough and impartial investigation into the scores of executions that took place earlier in 2012.” — Libya Herald


Clic here to read the story from its source.