Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Qatari Foreign Ministry spox: Mediators say agreement reached on all terms of first phase of Gaza ceasefire.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spox: Mediators say Gaza ceasefire to include end of war, release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, and entry of aid.
Trump: Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.
Trump: Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan.
Hamas chief Khalil Al-Hayya is meeting with Egypt's intelligence head to add finishing touches to Gaza agreement: Source
Israeli media: The ceasefire will begin tomorrow at 12:00 PM.
Israeli media, citing officials: The agreement will be signed today, and the release of the first batch of hostages will take place on Saturday or Sunday.
Palestinian Resistance sources to Al Mayadeen: Hamas and the factions have officially approved the deal. Trump was notified while he was live on air.
Palestinian Resistance sources to Al Mayadeen: Hamas has agreed to the deal, which will be signed on Thursday in Egypt.
Trump: We are very close to an agreement in the Middle East.

UN experts denounce planned Saudi executions linked to Neom project

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 4 May 2023 11:19
3 Min Read

UN rights experts raise concerns about the Neom project amid accusations of serious abuses being committed.

  • x
  • UN experts denounce planned Saudi executions linked to Neom project
    Artist view of The Line, a 170-kilometer horizontal skyscraper, announced as a landmark in Neom, north of Saudi Arabia (Reuters)

UN rights experts denounced on Wednesday the pending execution of three members of a Saudi tribe, reportedly in connection with their opposition to a planned Red Sea megacity.

Three members of Al-Huwaitat tribe, which inhabits the desert area in northwestern Saudi Arabia where Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's $500-billion futuristic megacity is under construction, face the "imminent risk of execution," more than a dozen independent experts warned.

"Despite being charged with terrorism, they were reportedly arrested for resisting forced evictions in the name of the Neom project and the construction of a 170-kilometre linear city called The Line," the experts said in a statement.

"When they drop down dead, I celebrate." pic.twitter.com/OW6BfrVyRz

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) June 4, 2022

The three men -- Shadly Ahmad Mahmoud Abou Taqiqa Al-Huwaiti, Ibrahim Salih Ahmad Abou Khalil Al-Huwaiti, and Atallah Moussa Mohammed Al-Huwaiti -- were reportedly sentenced to death last August 5, and their sentences were upheld on appeal on January 23, the statement pointed out.

"Under international law, states that have not yet abolished the death penalty may only impose it for the 'most serious crimes', involving intentional killing," the experts indicated.

"We do not believe the actions in question meet this threshold," said the UN experts in areas including the right to adequate housing, freedom of opinion, arbitrary executions, and torture.

According to their statement, three other members of Al-Huwaitat tribe were also sentenced to between 27 and 50 years in prison.

Related News

Saudi Arabia to reassess spending amid oil slump: Financial Times

Saudi Arabia posts $15.65 billion Q1 deficit as oil revenues fall 18%

The experts, who are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council but do not speak on behalf of the UN, said all six had been charged under an "overly vague" 2017 anti-terrorism law.

They also demanded that Saudi authorities investigate allegations that some of the detainees had been tortured to extract confessions and to review their sentences.

"Any statement that is proven to have been made as a result of torture is inadmissible in any proceedings," they stressed.

The experts also raised concerns about the Neom project as a whole amid accusations from rights groups of serious abuses being committed.

Saudi authorities are illegally displacing Al-Huwaitat tribe members from their homes in three villages, often without adequate compensation, and violently cracking down on those who peacefully oppose or resist forcible expulsion.

In 2020, an Al-Huwaitat tribe member was gunned down after he refused to give up his land for the project.

"These actions would certainly amount to forced evictions, which are prohibited under international law as a violation of the right to adequate housing," the experts said, noting that "the actions also constitute flagrant violations of the rights to freedom of expression and access to information."

Elsewhere, the experts underlined that any companies, including foreign investors, involved in the project should "ensure they are not causing or contributing ... serious human rights abuses."

Read more: Under façade of freedom, MBS leads new era of political repression

  • Vision 2030
  • Saudi
  • Neom
  • Red Sea
  • Saudi Arabia

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025
The Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza showed that after combating Israeli aggression for two years, they remain victorious in the face of oppression (Mahdi Rteil/Al Mayadeen English)

Al-Aqsa Flood two years on, a tale of victory

  • Politics
  • 6 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
An Israeli armored vehicle moves on a street of a local market during a military raid in the West Bank refugee camp of Balata, Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli settlers kill Palestinian youth near Ramallah amid raids

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran interested in resuming nuclear talks: Lavrov

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks during a news conference at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington, April 25, 2025 (AP)
Politics

IMF head flags US budget, Europe Defense spending challenges

Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at UN headquarters (AP)
Politics

Meloni faces ICC complaint over Gaza genocide complicity with Israelis

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS