Saudi Arabia Rejects Human-Rights Criticism, Then Crucifies Someone
Most capital crimes in Saudi Arabia are punished through beheadings—but this week officials beheaded and then displayed the body of a convicted criminal.
Even as it excoriated Canada for scolding it over human rights, Saudi Arabia beheaded a man Wednesday in Mecca, then put his body on public display, for allegedly stabbing a woman to death. The method of punishment is known in Saudi Arabia as a crucifixion, which the government says is sanctioned by Islamic law, and is reserved for only the most severe crimes in the kingdom.
The suspect in this case was a man from Myanmar who was accused of breaking into the home of a Burmese woman and repeatedly stabbing her until she died, . He was also charged with weapons theft, the attemptedthe execution. The crucifixion practice is a gruesome one and is employed sparingly; most capital crimes in Saudi Arabiaare punished through beheadings alone.
