Saudi Arabia Puts 81 to Death, Largest Known Execution in Kingdom's Modern History
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Good day from REEDNEWSARABWORLD for Monday, March 14, 2022!
Saudi Arabia's latest executions -- 81 men put to death in a single day, the largest number known in modern history -- created headlines around the world and a new round of condemnations from human rights organizations. Although Saudi Arabia said all were guilty of crimes, even Iran protested -- and Iran, along with China, kills more people than Saudi Arabia does.
The U.S. is in a standoff with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over more oil production to ease soaring gasoline prices, and Britain's prime minister, Boris Johnson, may be meeting with Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman to make his case. Qatar's foreign minister is in Moscow to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war and, on the way, managed a phone call with the Ukraine foreign minister to discuss ways to end the fighting.
Russia claims it will have 16,000 troops from Syria fighting in Ukraine, but in Syria, observers say recruitment is largely symbolic and barely started. Saudi Arabia released blogger Raif Badawu from prison after 10 years, but he won't be able to travel out of the country for another 10 years.
News from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen, the United Nations, Turkey, how the United States is spending $2 million a month to protect Mike Pompeo, and More.
Saudi Arabia executed 81 men who had been accused and convicted of terrorism and capital crimes. Human rights organizations protested, but the Saudi interior ministry said the people were executed for "multiple heinous crimes that left a large number of civilians and law enforcement officers dead." The ministry did not say how the executions were carried out, but in the past, prisoners have been beheaded publicly. The executed included 73 Saudis, seven Yemenis, and one Syrian. In one single case, 37 Saudi nationals were executed for what the ministry said were attempts to assassinate security officers and targeting police stations and convoys. The number executed was higher than in previous years, 67 in 2021 and 27 in 2020.
Washington Post, Saudi Arabia says it has executed 81 convicts in single day.
NPR, Saudi Arabia carries out its largest known execution in the kingdom's modern history.
Al Jazeera, Saudi Arabia executes 81 people in a single day.
Human rights groups condemned the Saudi executions and said they flew in the face of claims for progress by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The crown prince has said the country was overhauling its judicial system and limiting use of the death penalty. "These executions are the opposite of justice," Ali Adubusi, director of the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights, said. His group said of the cases it was able to monitor and document, it found no charges that merited the death penalty under Saudi public criteria, but could not document many of the cases.
New York Times, Saudi Arabia puts 81 to death, despite promises to curb executions.
Iran stopped direct talks with Saudi Arabia. No reason was given, and a website affiliated with Iran's top security body made the announcement soon after Saudi Arabia revealed its had executed 81 people. The fifth round of negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia was scheduled to start this week, at a time the nuclear talks in Vienna have also stopped. Iran condemned the mass executions in Saudi Arabia, although both Iran and China execute more people.
Reuters, Iran suspends talks with Saudi, slams Riyadh's executions.
Saudi Arabian blogger Raif Badawi is reported free after 10 years in prison. His wife said he had called her and "He is free." There has been no official Saudi statement.
Badawi was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to a decade in prison for "insulting Islam through electronic channels" and "going beyond the realm of obedience." His sentence included 1,000 lashes, and he received 50 lashes before an international outcry and then was not lashed again. His wife and three children fled to Canada after threats. Badawi's sentence banned him from foreign travel for 10 years after his release.
BBC, Raif Badawi: Saudi blogger freed after decade in prison.
Raif Badawi cannot leave Saudi Arabia for another 10 years unless a royal pardon is granted. A Saudi interior ministry official said: "The sentence handed down to Raif was 10 years in prison followed by a travel ban for the same length of time. The court ruling holds up and is final." Badawi would need a pardon from the king of Saudi Arabia to remove or reduce the travel ban.
Al Jazeera, Saudi Arabia: 10-year travel ban for freed blogger Raif Badawi.
The United States won't negotiate with Russia on Ukraine-related exemptions that have stopped the Iran nuclear talks. Washington is expected to explore alternatives if Russia won't back away from its demands, and a senior U.S. official said a separate agreement that excludes Russia may be offered. The official said the 2015 agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), contains exemptions, and "I think it's pretty safe to say that there is no room for making exemptions beyond those."
Wall Street Journal, U.S. won't negotiate sanctions with Russia to save Iran nuclear deal.
Russia claims it will have 16,000 paid volunteers from the Middle East fighting in Ukraine. Syria has started recruiting troops from its own military to fight alongside Russian forces for promised pay of $3,000 a month. Enlistment notices have been posted and one advertisement said troops who sign up will be fighting in Ukraine. Syria's 4th division, a core unit, was targeted for the recruitment drive. Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, approved the recruitment, claiming he would have 16,000 volunteers, and the offer of what is considered a very high salary in the Middle East is expected to be a significant enticement.
The Guardian, Syria recruiting troops from its military to fight with Russian forces in Ukraine.
Reuters, Putin says Russia to welcome volunteers from Middle East to fight Ukraine
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Russia says it's recruiting from Syria because the United States is backing measures to send mercenaries to fight in Ukraine. "If the West is so enthusiastic about the arrival of mercenaries, then we also have volunteers who want to participate," Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russia's president Vladimir Putin, said. He said Russia's defense ministry discussed "in particular those who sent their requests from the Middle East countries and from Syria," but "there was no talk about our fellow citizens."
Moscow Times, Kremlin eyes Syrians for Ukraine fight in widening conflict.
Iran fired a missile barrage that struck the U.S. consulate complex in Erbil in northern Iraq. Iraq's foreign ministry summoned Iran's ambassador to protest the attack, calling it a flagrant violation of the country's sovereignty and demanding an explanation from Iran's leadership. The Iraqi government reiterated its refusal to be used to settle scores between other countries. The attack caused material damage in the area. One civilian was reported injured.
Associated Press, Iran fies 10 missiles into Iraq, hitting US consulate residential areas
Iran claimed responsibility for the ballistic missile attack that hit northern Iraq, saying it was in response to death of two of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members in Syria. The attack struck near a U.S. compound and drew sharp condemnation from the Iraqi and U.S. capitals. Iraq's semi-official Fars news agency said the Revolutionary Guard Corps had launched "powerful missiles" following the death of its members last week. The attack marked a significant escalation in the proxy war being carried out in Iraq between Iran and the United States.
Washington Post, After nuclear talks break down, Iran claims ballistic missile attack in Iraq.
The United States doesn't believe the American consulate in Iraq was the target of the Iranian missile strike. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said "We do not believe the consulate was the target. This was an attack on Iran's sovereignty." A State Department spokesman called the incident an "outrageous attack," and a Kurdish spokesperson said the missile strikes were intended to hit residential areas.
The Hill, US does not believe consulate in Iraq was target of Iranian missile strike.
The U.S. is working to help Iraq get missile defense capabilities to protect itself from attacks. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States will do whatever is necessary to defend its allies. "We are in consultation with the Iraqi government and the government in Iraqi Kurdistan to help them get the missile defense capabilities to be able to defend themselves in their cities," he said.
Reuters, U.S. working to help Iraq get missile defense capabilities - Sullivan.
Qatar's foreign minister is in Moscow after talks with Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said he discussed the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, during a visit to Moscow. Al-Thani spoke from Moscow in a televised news conference but did not give details on his meeting with Lavrov or if the Ukraine war was discussed. Before traveling to Moscow, Al-Thani had a phone discussion with Ukraine's foreign minister, who praised Qatar for its humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. .
Reuters, Qatar's foreign minister discusses Iran nuclear talks with Lavrov during Moscow visit.
Qatar's foreign minister held talks with Ukraine as he was scheduled to travel to Moscow for a meeting with Russia's foreign minister. Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba said he spoke to Qatari minister Mohammed al-Thani and discussed ways to stop Russia's aggression. "We discussed ways to end Russia's barbaric aggression against Ukraine," Kuleba wrote on Twitter. "Grateful to Qatar for stepping up humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine."
Ukraine News Agency, Kuleba, foreign minister of Qatar discuss ways to stop Russia's aggression against Ukraine.
Turkey says Putin isn't opposed to direct talks with Ukraine's president. Turkey's foreign minister Movlut Cavusoglu said the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has mentioned the idea to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "It's been said that Zelensky is ready for this kind of meeting, and Putin is not against it in principle," Cavusoglu said, referring to Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Cavusoglu said the meeting he arranged last week between Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers in Turkey, which resulted in no breakthroughs, was at least a start.
"No one should expect miracles with one meeting," he said, "but a ministerial meeting is an important start."
CNN, Turkey's foreign minister says Putin is not against direct talks with Ukrainian president.
The United States is in a standoff with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates over more oil production. President Joe Biden's efforts to contain rising fuel prices continue to meet with resistance from the two oil-producing Gulf states. Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and the UAE's leader, Mohammed bin Zayed, are reported yet to agree to a phone call from the U.S. president, "a scenario all but unthinkable during previous administrations."
The Guardian, White House faces oil standoff with Saudi Arabia and UAE as prices soar.
Britain's prime minister may travel to Saudi Arabia to lobby for more oil to lower high oil prices. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is said to be considering a visit to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, seeking an increase in Saudi production of crude oil as energy sanctions on Russia begin to hurt Britain. Government minister Michael Gove said "We have to rely on oil from a number of countries, many of whose human rights records we don't approve of," after being asked about executions in Saudi Arabia. "Saudi Arabia is a security partner of the United Kingdom. I think that there are human rights concerns. We're clear about those."
The National, Britain's Boris Johnson may travel to Saudi Arabia for oil talks.
Six children were killed in Yemen from shelling carried out by Houthi rebels. The deaths came in two separate incidents in Yemen's southwest province of Taiz and in the countryside of Sanaa, the capital, a military source said. Earlier, a Yemen government committee said 56 women had been killed in recent months by Houthi shelling.
Xinhua, 6 children killed by Houthi shelling Yemen: source.
As the war in Ukraine grabs attention, the Red Cross says the world shouldn't lose sight of the plight of those in Yemen. Katharina Ritz, ;head of the Red Cross delegation in Yemen, urged continuing aid for Yemen and said discussions continue over possible prisoner exchanges between the warring sides. The Yemen government and the Houti opposition have not conducted a major swap in several years, as fighting intensified in a number of front lines.
Associated Press, Red Cross official asks world not to 'shift' away from Yemen.
The United Nations said at least 47 children have been killed or injured in Yemen in the first two months of the year as fighting escalated. "Violence has escalated this year and as always children are the first and most to suffer," Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF representative to Yemen, said. "Just over the first two months of this year, 47 children were reportedly killed or maimed in several locations across Yemen."
Associated Press, UN says Yemen war killed or injured 47 children in 2022.
The U.S. is paying more than $2 million a month to provide 24-hour security for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Iran envoy Brian Hook. The State Department reported the expense to Congress in a document marked "sensitive but not classified" and said Pompeo and Hook face "serious and credible" threats from Iran. The protection has been renewed at 60-day intervals and is due to expire soon. The State Department, in conjunction with the director of national intelligence, must determine by March 16 about extending the protection.
Associated Press, US pays $2M a month to protect Pompeo, aide from Iran threat.
Iraqi cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr is holding talks with top officials on how to form a new government and end a crippling political crisis. Al Sadr was reported holding phone conversations with Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government; with the speaker of parliament, Mohammed Al-Halbousi, and other leading officials of political parties. Iraq held elections in October but has not been able to form a government because of differences among political forces.
Middle East Monitor, Muqtada Al-Sadr, major figures hold talks to end Iraq's political crisis.
MORE: Egypt to receive 189,000 tons of wheat from Russia, Ukraine, and Romania in coming days, Ahram... Tunisia protest shows widening opposition to president's one-man rule, Reuters... Algerian president sacks transport minister over 'grave misconduct,' Asharq Al-Awsat... Oman could see a record budget surplus in 2022 as oil prices surge, Times of Oman... Iraq museum in Baghdad reopens after three-year hiatus, The Art Newspaper... Egyptian pound devaluation likely to be required - JPMorgan, Reuters.
News You Missed
Syria has a pool of fighters for Russia to bring into the war with Ukraine, but it's not clear how significant, large, or effective a Syrian deployment would be. Syrian observers say any recruitment going on so far is largely symbolic and remains in the very early stages.
Associated Press, Explainer: Will Russia bring Syrian fighters to Ukraine?
A report to the United Nations says democracy in Sudan is on life support. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said the situation in Sudan might be difficult to change, after a stark reversal of progress toward democratic rule that followed the removal of former president Oman al-Bashir in 2019. A subsequent military coup plunged Sudan into profound crisis, she said, with "repeated use of excessive force by security forces" persisting.
Voice of America, Bachelet: Democracy on life support in Sudan.
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