The word ‘convicted’ is written next to the names of 22 Bangladeshi citizens imprisoned in Saudi Arabia.
However, the list sent by the Saudi government does not specify their punishment, whether they have been sentenced to prison, or given the death penalty. The Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah is also unaware.
Among these 22 individuals were Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akhtar, whose death penalty execution news has sparked outrage among the people of Bangladesh. The fate of the remaining 20 individuals is now uncertain.
The Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah has sent a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia to find out what punishment has been given to them.
The Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah sent the letter to the Jeddah branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia on 19 October.
When asked, Mohammad Shakawat Hossain, the Consul General of Bangladesh in Jeddah, told Prothom Alo on Thursday that clear information has been sought from the Saudi authorities to ensure consular services for convicted citizens of Bangladesh.
Questions over empty punishment column
On 30 September, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a list of 2,461 Bangladeshi prisoners. Some of these prisoners under the jurisdiction of the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah have been tried and sentenced, while others’ cases are ongoing. Upon reviewing the list, the Consulate noticed that although several individuals have ‘convicted’ written in the ‘status’ column, their ‘verdict summary’ column is empty. Neither the type nor the duration of the punishment is mentioned.
The Consulate requested the Makkah region branch (Jeddah) of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 19 October to coordinate with the relevant authorities and send the verdict summaries promptly. The letter stated that this information is necessary for carrying out consular duties. The enclosed 9-page list includes descriptions of the prisoners. However, the letter does not specify how many columns are empty. Counting from the attached list, 22 individuals are found.
Nature of cases against the 22 individuals
Sources at the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah have reported, according to the list provided by Saudi Arabia, that among the 22 individuals, 8 have been prosecuted for murder, 5 for drug trafficking, and 5 for ‘personal rights’ cases. Two cases pertain to violations of state law, one to cybercrime, and one to adultery.
Six are in Jeddah’s Dhahban Prison, six in Shumaisi, four in Jeddah General Prison, and the remaining six in women’s prisons in Najran, Khamis, Al-Baha, Hada, and Jeddah.
Notably, all five individuals involved in ‘personal rights’ cases are in Shumaisi prison. Typically, such cases involve personal claims or compensation, but without case documents, the exact allegations are uncertain.
However, the type of case does not imply the punishment. Under Saudi law, a murder case may result in qisas (death penalty), or it could be resolved with blood money or imprisonment. Thus, it cannot be assumed whether anyone in the list has received the death penalty or not.
The risk of not knowing the verdict
The consequences of not knowing the verdict after a serious criminal conviction in Saudi Arabia are exemplified by the recent execution of Nazrul Islam and Sweety Akhtar. Without a verdict summary, the Consulate doesn’t know which paths are open for individuals. Whether an appeal is possible, how a lawyer can be appointed, or if resolving through blood money or pardon is feasible—all depend on the verdict. Families back home are also living in the same uncertainty. For this reason, the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah has taken special initiatives following the execution news of Nazrul and Sweety.
In the letter sent by the Jeddah Consulate to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is stated that the request to learn details of the sentences of the convicted Bangladeshis aims to update their database and provide the best consular services to the citizens. Hence, without filling the gaps in the list, the Consulate’s records also remain incomplete. It remains to be seen how quickly the Saudi authorities provide the verdict information and what penalties are revealed for each individual.
Request for pardon and repatriation
On 19 October, the Jeddah Consulate made a special request in another letter by categorizing the 2,461 prisoners into five groups. It requested the rapid release and return of prisoners whose sentences have been completed, inclusion of well-behaved prisoners in the royal pardon list, waiving remaining punishment for first-time detainees and those charged with petty crimes, and expedite the resolution of pending cases.
The Consulate has also written to the Saudi Ministry about two other Bangladeshis. Their families have reported that the security forces have arrested them, but they do not know why they were arrested or from where they were taken.
The response from the Saudi authorities regarding these letters from the Consulate has not yet been received.