News - Middle East: Saudi Arabia has resumed sentencing teenagers to death for protesting against the regime, despite promising earlier to end the practice. Human rights monitors have recorded seven cases in which the death penalty has been sought, handed down or confirmed on appeal for crimes by minors, The Times reported.

The newspaper revealed that a young man named “Jalal al-Labbad” was sentenced to death on July 31, for a number of charges, including protesting.

Al-Labbad was 21 years old when he was arrested in 2017, but he was accused of participating in demonstrations and protests years before that.

On August 8, the Specialized Criminal Court of Appeal upheld the death sentence against Abdullah Al-Derazi, who was 19 years old when he was arrested in 2014.

The Saudi authorities condemned Al-Darazi for participating in demonstrations, marches and funerals for the victims, distributing water during the demonstrations, participating in the formation of a terrorist cell and assaulting public property.

The newspaper also revealed that prosecutors and the Public Prosecution Office in Saudi Arabia are calling for the execution of at least five other young men on similar charges.

The Times indicated that "most of those accused of protesting and who were sentenced to death belong to the Shiite minority in Saudi Arabia."

After the outbreak of the Arab Spring in the Shiite-majority areas (east of the country), the Kingdom witnessed demonstrations that continued intermittently for several years.

A few days ago, the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights said that the kingdom executed 120 people in the first six months of this year.

It pointed out that this number is close to double the number of those executed in 2021, despite the promises of the Saudi Crown Prince, "Mohammed bin Salman" to reduce the death penalty.

And it directed "Bin Salman," who came to power pledging to change the country's image, to stop the use of executions on minors.