Home ›› 27 Apr 2020 ›› World Biz
Saudi Arabia will no longer impose the death penalty on people who committed crimes while still minors, the country's Human Rights Commission says.
The announcement, citing a royal decree by King Salman, comes two days after the country said it would ban flogging.
In a statement published on Sunday, Awwad Alawwad, president of the state-backed commission, said a royal decree had replaced executions in cases where crimes were committed by minors with a maximum penalty of 10 years in a juvenile detention centre.
"The decree helps us in establishing a more modern penal code," Mr Alawwad said.
It was unclear when the decision - which was not immediately carried on state media - would come into effect.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - which Riyadh has signed - says capital punishment should not be used for offences carried out by minors.
(Source: BBC)
