The Saudi Interior Ministry recently issued a statement on the execution of 37 people in the Saudi Arabia. It has been claimed that the executed individuals were sentenced to death for involvement in terrorist cases.

The fact is that the executed people are not terrorists. They were Shias who have been oppressed by the Saudi regime for decades. This is not the first time that the Saudi regime has committed such terrible crimes against Shias, and it is clear that it won’t be the last.

Accordingly, Mehr News Agency interviewed Dr. Haitham Abu Said, High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Middle East and Secretary General of the European Organization for security and information as follows.

What is your analysis about the execution of 37 Saudi citizens by the Saudi regime?

These executions are condemned in my personal opinion as well as in the United Nations Human Rights Committee. The United Nations Human Rights Council has also condemned the executions and issued verdict about the necessity of adhering of all the countries that have signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948.

Recent executions in Saudi Arabia are major crimes and unacceptable in accordance with law; however, the Saudis have the reason for their action.

Despite the reactions of the international community and various governments to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, why have the Saudis carried out new executions?

Why do the Saudis commit executions in Saudi Arabia despite the open case of Khashoggi? Because they are comfort and confident about the reaction of the US President Donald Trump. He has so far delayed the prosecution and investigation of Saudis and satisfied by the name of suspects given by Saudis.

How effective do you consider the laws of the international judicial institutions in deterring these type of crimes?

These laws are not only deterrent, but also painful for the perpetrators of crime, but if we want to see the effectiveness and speed of the actions; first of all, these laws should be away from political affairs and common interests.

Secondly, it is necessary to refer to the judicial institutions and international tribunals which are under the policies of UN Security Council. What the world needs today is accelerating the separation of authorities and criminal cases and deliberate murder.

How do you evaluate US sanctions against Iranian people from the perspective of human rights?

US sanctions against Iran does not comply with international fundamental rights. The sanctions are declaration of the world war in which US does not benefit from it.

We can hear the voice of countries which protest and condemn US sanction. On the other hand, position of US will be also damaged and confronted with these countries.

US is losing and it must make decisions that are hard to implement, as Iran has options to continue the oil export. Of course, the price of oil may be lower than OPEC. It also causes a lot of dismay for US and its allies, and will eventually put pressure on the US itself through oil traders.