Saudi Arabia has executed two Bangladeshi nationals convicted of what authorities described as immoral acts inside a mosque in the holy city of Mecca. The executions took place on Wednesday, October 14, according to the Saudi Interior Ministry.
The ministry identified the individuals as Nazerul Islam Abdul Basir and Siti Akhtar. The announcement was carried by the Saudi Press Agency and reported by Saudi news outlet Ajel and Bangladesh’s The Business Standard.
According to the Interior Ministry, security authorities arrested the two individuals following the incident. After an investigation, they were formally charged and referred to a competent court, which found them guilty and sentenced them to death.
The ministry said the court imposed the death penalty under ta’zir, a category of discretionary punishment under Islamic law. The decision was reportedly based on the seriousness of the offence and what authorities described as a violation of the sanctity of the time and place.
The sentences were subsequently upheld by the relevant judicial authorities, after which a royal order was issued authorising their execution. The executions were carried out in the Mecca region, the ministry said.
However, Saudi authorities have not publicly disclosed the precise nature of the alleged acts or provided detailed information about when and where the two individuals were apprehended.
Saudi Arabia Reiterates Warning Against Violations at Mosques
Following the executions, the Saudi Interior Ministry reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining security, upholding justice and enforcing Islamic law against individuals found guilty of violating the sanctity of mosques or committing immoral acts.
The ministry also warned that anyone committing similar offences would face legal consequences under Saudi law, according to Ajel.
The announcement was reported by Gulf News, Ajel and The Business Standard, with the Bangladeshi publication citing Ajel’s account of the ministry’s statement.
As of October 15, The Business Standard reported that no statement from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was available regarding the executions.
The reports cited so far have not clarified whether the two individuals received consular assistance, whether their families were informed before the executions or whether Bangladesh made any diplomatic representations to Saudi Arabia.
Executions Amid International Scrutiny
The executions come amid continued international scrutiny of Saudi Arabia’s use of capital punishment.
On October 14, Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court reportedly overturned the death sentence imposed on Sri Lankan national Sivarasa Anojan, a Hindu worker who had faced a blasphemy case over a Facebook comment that he subsequently deleted and apologised for. The decision followed diplomatic efforts by the Sri Lankan government.
In the case involving the two Bangladeshi nationals, however, the statements cited by Saudi and Bangladeshi media outlets have provided only limited information about the alleged offences and the judicial proceedings.
Saudi authorities said the executions followed the completion of the judicial process, the upholding of the sentences and the issuance of a royal order.
Further details about the case, including the precise nature of the alleged conduct and the circumstances surrounding the arrests, remain undisclosed in the reports cited.