Bangladesh seeks official details from Saudi Arabia on execution of two citizens

Bangladesh has asked Saudi Arabia for full details regarding the execution of two of its citizens in the Makkah region on October 14. A man and a woman were put to death after a conviction for committing an indecent act inside a Makkah mosque.

Official Inquiries

The Bangladesh Consulate General in Jeddah sent a formal diplomatic letter to the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 19. The letter asks six specific questions, covering the exact charges, the dates of arrest, certified copies of court verdicts, and how the executions were carried out. Officials also want to know where the bodies are kept, whether they can be brought back to Bangladesh, and if the accused had lawyers during their trials.

Unresolved Questions

Bangladeshi missions did not have prior details about the court proceedings or legal representation before the executions took place. A prisoner list shared by Saudi authorities in September mentioned adultery and an IT-related offence for the two individuals, but it did not state their sentences. Dhaka is now seeking clarification on this mismatch, alongside information on 20 other jailed citizens whose specific sentences were also left unspecified.

Context

Consular outreach and diplomatic letters are standard channels that governments use to protect citizens abroad and clarify legal proceedings in foreign nations. Saudi Arabia follows a strict legal system, and foreign missions routinely track prisoner welfare and legal representation when capital cases occur.