Terming the "eye-for-an-eye" sentence given to an Indian national in Saudi Arabia as "torture masquerading as justice", the Human Rights Watch today said King Abdullah "must prevent" the implementation of the punishment which was in violation of the country's obligations under international law.
King Abdullah should take urgent steps to ensure that the Shariat court's order to gouge out an eye of Puthan Veettil Abdul Latif Noushad is not carried out, Joe Stork, deputy director of the US based watchdog's Middle East division said.
Thirty three-year-old Naushad, hailing from Anchal in Kollam district of Kerala, had been asked by a Shariat Court to give an eye as punishment for being the cause of a Saudi losing an eye during a scuffle.
"This literal eye-for-an-eye sentence is torture masquerading as justice," Stork said referring to the plight of Naushad.
"King Abdullah must prevent the imposition of corporal punishment in violation of the country's obligations under international law," he added.
Saudi Arabia acceded to the Convention against Torture in 1997. However, Naushad's case is the third known instance over the past year in which a Saudi court has issued a sentence of eye-gouging, the New York-based human rights watchdog said.
During the trial, Naushad claimed he was acting in self-defence and did not intend to injure the Saudi. A witness, also a worker from India, told Human Rights Watch that the court refused to admit his testimony backing up Naushad's account. The judge reportedly said that non-Saudis were barred from testifying in cases involving Saudis. "The court's verdict virtually allows Saudi citizens to assault migrant workers with impunity," Stork said.
The injured Saudi citizen, Naqyif al-Utaibi has so far insisted that the sentence be carried out, refusing to pardon Noushad or accept monetary compensation. Noushad's employer Abu Muhammad al-Umri has reportedly offered to pay over USD 25,000 as compensation, Stork said.
Al-Umri has told Human Rights watch that it was unlikely that the Appeals Court would overturn the verdict and that only a pardon could save Noushad's eyes unless al-Utaini decides to accept compensation, he said.
The news of the verdict has caused an uproar in India. The Indian embassy in Riyadh has announced it will appeal to King Abdullah for clemency.
Source: Outlook India
