November 27-2015
Saudi Arabia has executed three Iranians it said had been convicted of smuggling a “large amount of hashish” into Saudi Arabia by sea. Iran swiftly denounced the executions and added them to the growing list of issues that has Iran at loggerheads with Saudi Arabia.
Iran summoned the Saudi charge d’affaires within hours of the Saudi announcement on November 8 to protest the executions.
The Saudis did not give the exact amount of hashish the men were smuggling, describing it only as a “large amount.” But Iran said the amount was 500 kilograms. Under Iranian law, a person found in possession of more than five kilograms (11 lbs) of hashish is subject to the death sentence.
The Saudi justice system has often been criticized for severe lapses and inadequate protections for the rights of the accused. But Iran did not even hint that any of the executed men were innocent. Iran had two complaints—that the Saudis were failing to conduct respectful foreign relations by executing the three and that it had failed to work with Iran in finding a lawyer for the men.
Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashqavi was quoted by state-owned PressTV as saying, “Countries refrain from executing such sentences by respecting bilateral relations and keeping in mind that implementing such sentences will not bear a positive effect on ties.” He said the Saudis had violated the principle of “good neighborliness.”
He did not say why it should hurt ties when the Saudis executed men the Islamic Republic would have executed for the same crimes.
Qashqavi also said, “Saudi Arabia had refused to cooperate with the Iranian side in coordinating the choice of a lawyer for the three Iranians on grounds that narcotics crimes in Saudi Arabia are dealt with as serious crimes.” Iran often does not allow defendants to have lawyers.
Qashqavi said the three executed men were arrested in 2011 on board a vessel with 500 kilos of drugs. He said two other Iranians on board the ship were found innocent at trial and freed.
It wasn’t immediately known if Iran has executed any Saudis, but Iran frequently executes Afghan nationals, mainly for drug offenses, and has ignored numerous appeals from the Afghan government to show leniency.
For many years, China has ranked first in the world in number of executions with Iran and Saudi Arabia ranked second and third. But Iran ranks first in the volume of executions per 100,000 population.
The Saudi announcement said the three Iranians were executed in the Persian Gulf port city of Dammam. Saudi executions are normally by beheading with a sword and Qashqavi said that was how the three men were executed.
