Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): The European Union condemned the execution of 37 people simultaneously in different cities across the country carried out by Saudi Arabia. It said that this marks the largest number of executions in a single day in Saudi Arabia since 2016.

This "confirms a negative trend in this country in stark contrast with the growing abolitionist movement worldwide," the EU said in a statement.

It added that "these mass executions raise serious doubts about the respect of the right to fair trial, which is a fundamental international minimum standard of justice," stressing that "the execution of people who were minor at the time of the alleged charges constitutes a further serious violation."

"In addition, the identity of the majority of the executed and doubts on the gravity of the charges for some of them has the potential to fuel sectarian tensions which are already dominating the region."

"The European Union is unequivocally opposed to the use of capital punishment in all cases and without exception," the statement further read, indicating that "the European Union will continue to consistently reiterate its principled position against the death penalty and advocate for its abolition."

Saudi Arabia executed on Tuesday 37 citizens in the largest mass murder since 3 years. Human rights organizations expressed alarm after the collective executions carried out by Saudi Arabia over "terrorism offences".

Arabic Version