March 13, 2022: DO NOT share on social media. Do share with other organizations that may wish to sign via email or other private means. The statement will be made public within the next day with those organizations which have signed on.
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The statement

Canadian government silence over the execution of 81 men in Saudi Arabia is deeply troubling.

This is the largest mass executions in a single day in the desert kingdom’s modern history.

Those executed include, in addition to 73 Saudi nationals, seven Yemenis and one Syrian.

Some of the Saudis beheaded were minors when arrested.

Most of those executed (41) were from the predominantly Shia region of Qatif, including a 13-year-old minor.
The men included 37 Saudi nationals who were found ‘guilty’ in a single case for attempting to assassinate security officers and targeting police stations and convoys, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

While the Saudi regime claims that the accused were provided with the right to a lawyer and were guaranteed their full rights under ‘Saudi law’ during the judicial process, its laws are deeply flawed.

They do not meet the minimum standards of justice required under international law.

People can be charged with treason and executed for disagreeing with government policy or demanding basic human rights.

Criticizing the king or crown prince are also grounds of execution.

Given that there is no codified law in Saudi Arabia makes a mockery of justice.

In most cases, there is also no right of appeal.

Canada supplies military equipment worth $15 billion to the Saudi regime.

Such equipment has been used against Saudi civilians as well as in the kingdom’s illegal war on Yemen where more than 377,000 people have been killed since 2015, according to the UN.

The Saudi regime does not spare dissidents even when they escape abroad.

The case of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, executed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 underscores this point.

We call upon the Canadian government to end its silence on the egregious crimes being perpetrated by the Saudi regime.

Executions in Saudi Arabia must be immediately halted.

Canada must also terminate the military contract since the Saudi regime has repeatedly violated the terms of its agreement.

Ottawa should demand the protection of human life and a transparent legal process in the desert kingdom.
The Saudi regime falls far short of it.


Canadian Council for Justice and Peace
Crescent International
Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought
Just Peace Advocates/Mouvement Pour Une Paix Juste
Regina Peace Council
Canada Palestine Association
Just Peace Committee-BC
Canadians for Peace and Justice in Kashmir
Oakville Palestinian Rights Association
PCCC-Palestine House
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)
Canadian BDS Coalition
PAJU (Palestinian and Jewish Unity)
World BEYOND War
Social Justice Coop NL
Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR)
Comox Valley Peace Group
Bathurst United Church
Palestine Committee Rotterdam, Netherlands
Gamefields Press
Bruce R. Allen Paralegal
Canadian Peace Congress
Global Peace Alliance Society
Hamilton Coalition To Stop The War
PCCC-Palestine House
CUPE 4207
Jaffari Community Centre
 S A Professional Corporation


others will be updated as we can