In a recent act that has drawn strong international condemnation, Saudi Arabia executed Jalal Labbad, a member of the Shi’a minority, for crimes allegedly committed when he was a minor. Amnesty International denounced the execution, highlighting it as a stark example of the nation’s continued use of the death penalty despite earlier assurances of reform. Bissan Fakih, Amnesty’s Middle East Campaigner, described Labbad’s execution as “deplorable,” underscoring the chilling impact of what has been termed the authorities’ ruthless approach to capital punishment.
Labbad’s story is particularly poignant due to his age and the circumstances surrounding his arrest. At approximately 17, he participated in protests challenging the treatment of the Shi’a community in Al-Qatif. In 2017, at the age of 21, he was arrested and subsequently charged with offenses dating back to his teenage years. Human rights organizations report that he experienced torture while in detention, suffered frequent health issues, and was denied legal representation. In 2022, he was sentenced to death, a verdict upheld by the Supreme Court, culminating in his execution on August 21, 2025.
The case has amplified concerns regarding Saudi Arabia’s commitments to human rights, particularly after the Saudi Human Rights Commission assured Amnesty International in May 2023 that the application of the death penalty for juvenile ta’zir crimes had been abolished. Ta’zir crimes, under Islamic law, are those for which the Quran does not specify a penalty. Labbad’s execution appears to contradict both domestic promises and international legal standards, specifically those set by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which prohibit the death penalty for crimes committed by minors.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom also condemned the execution, characterizing it as part of a “disturbing escalation” of practices that violate international human rights laws and threaten religious freedoms. This sentiment is echoed across numerous human rights platforms that view the death penalty as the ultimate violation of the right to life, a central tenet in Amnesty International’s advocacy against capital punishment.
The political and social ramifications of Labbad’s execution are expected to deepen as global eyes remain on Saudi Arabia’s adherence to its human rights commitments. The case symbolizes broader challenges faced by minority communities within the kingdom, raising questions about the sincerity and effectiveness of reforms purported by Saudi officials.
A detailed report on the execution and subsequent reactions is available on JURIST.