Bríd Smith Demands Action Over Saudi Death Sentence for Teen

Bríd Smith raised the case of Abdullah Al-Huwaiti in parliament, urging the Tánaiste to press Saudi Arabia to reverse and repeal the youth's death sentence. She said Al-Huwaiti was arrested and tortured as a 14-year-old, confessed to a crime he could not have committed, and noted the Supreme Court overturned the sentence in November 2021 but the Court of Appeal upheld it on 13 June.

Parliamentary challenge

Bríd Smith directly asked the Tánaiste to call on "this despotic regime" — which the Tánaiste recently visited — to reverse what she described as "unbearable cruelty" and to repeal the death sentence imposed on Abdullah Al-Huwaiti. She framed the request as a test of whether the government can be as tough on human rights with Saudi Arabia as it is with Russia.

Case background

Smith outlined that Abdullah Al-Huwaiti was a 14-year-old when arrested and that he was tortured until he confessed to a crime he could not have committed. The speech emphasised allegations of coercion and the youth of the accused.

Recent legal rulings

According to the speech, the Saudi Supreme Court overturned the decision to execute Al-Huwaiti in November 2021. Smith noted that on 13 June the Court of Appeal, three days before the exchange, upheld the death sentence.

Government response

The Tánaiste said he was not familiar with the individual case and would check with the Department of Foreign Affairs. He stated that he is opposed to the death penalty, that the government is opposed to the death penalty, and called on any country with the death penalty on the statute books, including Saudi Arabia, to desist and not execute their citizens.