A Palestinian poet and leading member of Saudi Arabia’s nascent contemporary art scene has been sentenced to death for renouncing Islam.
A Saudi court on Tuesday ordered the execution of Ashraf Fayadh, who has curated art shows in Jeddah and at the Venice Biennale. The poet, who said he did not have legal representation, was given 30 days to appeal against the ruling.
Fayadh, 35, a key member of the British-Saudi art organisation Edge of Arabia, was originally sentenced to four years in prison and 800 lashes by the general court in Abha, a city in the south-west of the ultraconservative kingdom, in May 2014.
But after his appeal was dismissed he was retried last month and a new panel of judges ruled that his repentance did not prevent his execution.
“I was really shocked but it was expected, though I didn’t do anything that deserves death,” Fayadh told the Guardian.
TVNL Comment: This is an example of the inhumane value system of our 'ally' in the region.
Israeli attacks on Gaza have escalated in the last 24 hours, with five Palestinians killed, the...
Dozens of Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Qusra in the northern occupied West Bank...
Israeli media outlets on Sunday published a video showing National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visiting...
Israel's Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli has explained his own strategy more candidly than any critic...
