국제앰네스티는 ‘마법’ 혐의로 체포된 수단인 남성의 사형집행을 중단하라고 사우디아라비아 당국에 요구했다.
압둘 하미드 빈 후세인 빈 무스타파 알-파키(Abdul Hamid Bin Hussain Bin Moustafaal-Fakki)는 2007년 3월 27일 메디나 법원에서 의뢰인의 이혼한 부모의 화해를 위해 주술을 썼다는 혐의로 사형선고를 받았다.
그 후 3년간 압둘의 사형집행날짜와 관련정보는 알려지지 않았으나, 경과된 시간을 미루어 보았을 때 사형집행이 임박했다고 보고 있다.
국제앰네스티 필립 루터(Philip Luther) 중동 및 북아프리카국 부국장은 “압둘 하미드 알-파키는 표현과 종교의 자유를 평화적으로 행사했다는 이유만으로 기소된 것”이라며 “사우디아라비아 국왕에 사형집행의 중단을 요구하고있다”고 전했다.
“마법” 범죄는 사우디아라비아 법에 명시돼있지 않으며, 주로 양심, 종교, 믿음과 표현의 자유권 등 인권을 합법적으로 행사하는 사람들을 처벌하는데 이용돼 왔다.
사우디아라비아에서는 재소자들과 그들의 가족들에 사전통보 없이 사형을 집행할 수 있으며, 올해만 최소 11명이 사형에 처해졌다.
Sudaneseman facing executionin Saudi Arabia over‘sorcery’charges
14 May 2010
AmnestyInternational hasurged the SaudiArabian authoritiesto intervene to haltthe possiblyimminent executionof a Sudanese manwho was sentenced todeath for “sorcery”.
Abdul Hamid BinHussain Bin Moustafaal-Fakki wassentenced to deathby a Madina court on27 March 2007, afterhe was accused ofproducing a spellthat would lead tothe reconciliationof his client’sdivorced parents.
Very little is knownabout his trialproceedings as theywere held in secret.Three years since hewas sentenced todeath, it is notknown what stage hiscase is at or if hisexecution has beenscheduled, but it islikely to beimminent given thetime that haselapsed.
“‘Abdul Hamidal-Fakki appears tohave been convictedsolely for thepeaceful exercise ofhis rights tofreedom ofexpression andreligion,” saidPhilip Luther,Deputy Director ofAmnestyInternational’sMiddle East andNorth Africaprogramme.
“We are calling onKing Abdullah ofSaudi Arabia not tolet this or otherexecutions goahead.”
‘Abdul Hamid BinHussain Bin Moustafaal-Fakki wasarrested on 8December 2005 in thecity of Madina bythe Mutawa’een(religious police),officially calledthe Committee forthe Propagation ofVirtue andPrevention of Vice(CPVPV).
He was accused ofpractising sorcery,after beingentrapped by theCPVPV. It is notclear why theauthorities targetedhim. A man workingfor the CPVPVapproached ‘AbdulHamid and asked himto produce a spellthat would lead tothe man’s fatherseparating from hissecond wife andreturning to hisfirst wife, theman’s mother.
‘Abdul Hamidapparently acceptedto do this inexchange for 6,000Saudi Arabian riyals(approximatelyUS$1,600).
He apparently tookan advance of 2,000riyals from the man,together with thenames of his fatherand the father’ssecond wife, as wellas the names oftheir mothers, andagreed to meet theman afterwards todeliver his work.
He went to theagreed meeting placeand was seen byCPVPV agents gettinginto the man’s car.He delivered hiswork, consisting ofnine pieces of paperwith codes writtenon them withsaffron, andreceived the rest ofthe money.
He was then arrestedwhile in possessionof bank notes whoseserial numbers hadbeen recorded by theCPVPV.
He was questionedand apparentlybeaten, and isbelieved to haveconfessed that hedid carry out actsof sorcery in a bidto solve the familyproblems of the manwho had approachedhim.
The crime of“sorcery” is notdefined in SaudiArabian law, and hasbeen used to punishpeople for thelegitimate exerciseof their humanrights, includingthe rights tofreedom ofconscience,religion, belief andexpression. The Saudi Arabianauthorities arrestedscores of people for“sorcery” in 2009,and have arrestedover 20 more thisyear. Often arrestsare carried out bythe Mutawa’een,which usesentrapment to securecharges not only of“sorcery” but alsoof other offencessuch as khilwa(being in thecompany of membersof the opposite sexwho are not closerelatives).
The last knownexecution for“sorcery” was thatof Egyptian nationalMustafa Ibrahim, on2 November 2007. Hehad been arrested inMay 2007 in the townof ‘Arar, where heworked as apharmacist, andaccused of“apostasy” forhaving degraded acopy of the Qur’anby putting it in atoilet. Saudi Arabia appliesthe death penaltyfor a wide range ofoffences, includingsome with no lethalconsequences such assorcery. Courtproceedings fall farshort ofinternationalstandards for fairtrial.
Defendants arerarely allowedformalrepresentation by alawyer, and in manycases are notinformed of theprogress of legalproceedings againstthem.
They may beconvicted solely onthe basis ofconfessions obtainedunder duress ordeception. Prisonersin Saudi Arabia maybe put to deathwithout a scheduleddate for executionbeing made known tothem or theirfamilies. Since thebeginning of 2010,at least 11 peoplehave been executed.
