Jan. 6
CANADA/SAUDI ARABIA:
Canadian brothers may die
Canada does not practise capital punishment -- that is the official
position of the government of Canada. It therefore behooves that
government to speak with a clear, single voice on this issue, not to set a
double standard, or allow its citizens to suffer the death penalty when
convicted of crimes in other countries.
It is particularly necessary for our government to intervene when our
citizens are arrested in countries that are not known for the fairness of
their judiciary systems, like Saudi Arabia. Two Canadian brothers,
Mohamed, 23, and Sultan Kohail, 17, have been sentenced to death by
beheading for their role in a schoolyard brawl two years ago that resulted
in the death of a 19-year-old Syrian male.
It is far from clear that the brothers are culpable in this death, or even
that it would be ruled a murder, in this country. The brothers have always
maintained they were set upon by a group of youths -- perhaps a dozen, or
14, some armed with clubs and knives. The brothers maintain they were
trying to escape from the gang and did not cause the injuries that led to
the death of Munzer Hiraki. A confession of guilt was allegedly elicited
from him under torture. On March 3, a Saudi court sentenced Mohamed to
death by public beheading.
The Kohail family are Canadian citizens. Canada has already asked the
Saudi government for clemency for Mohamed. But Mahmoud Al-Ken, a
spokesperson for the family, says Prime Minister Stephen Harper must
personally intervene if the execution, that may take place in February, is
to be prevented.
Sultan Kohail, meanwhile, is waiting to learn his fate. Time is running
out for the Kohail brothers.
Canadian parliamentary secretary Deepak Obhrai met with the minister of
justice for Saudi Arabia in December. On Dec. 28, Liberal foreign affairs
critic Dan McTeague called upon Mr. Harper to travel to Saudi Arabia
himself to "step up pressure" on the Saudi government. Surely, the prime
minister can do no less.
When Canada's official position does not support the death penalty, the
prime minister must either change that position, or uphold it. He cannot
sit on the fence while 2 young Canadian citizens are executed in a way
most Canadians would describe as barbaric.
(source: The Sault Star)
