Saudi Arabia‘s defense ministry announced on Thursday, the execution of two soldiers, among them a pilot, for their conviction on charges of ‘military treason.’ The ministry did not elaborate further on the nature of the charges.
In a statement relayed by the state news agency SPA, the defense ministry disclosed the names of the two soldiers as Pilot Colonel Majid bin Moussa al-Balawi and Chief Sergeant Youssef bin Reda al-Azouzi.
They were arrested in September 2017 and probes resulted in ‘the first being convicted of committing military treason and failing to safeguard the nation’s interests and the honour of military service,’ it said.
The ministry stated that the second soldier was convicted of ‘high, national, and military treason’ in addition to other charges, but no additional details were provided.
Taif, situated in the western part of the country, was where the two individuals were executed.
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Saudi Arabia is known for its secrecy regarding matters concerning its military forces, making soldier executions a rare occurrence in the country.
The most recent soldier executions were announced in April 2021 when three individuals were put to death for high treason.
An AFP tally, relying on official sources, indicates that the latest executions have raised the total in the kingdom to 106 for this year.
Last year, Saudi Arabia executed 147 people, and on a single day, 81 of them were put to death for crimes connected to terrorism. The international response to this mass execution was highly critical.
Amnesty International’s 2022 report placed Saudi Arabia as the world’s third-highest in terms of executions, trailing only China and Iran.
As Saudi Arabia continues to grapple with issues related to transparency and human rights, its handling of legal matters, including executions, remains a subject of global attention and debate.