Saudi Man, 29, Executed Over Offenses Allegedly Committed at Age 14, Sparking International Outcry

A case that has drawn international condemnation is raising serious questions about justice and the rights of children. Hassan Zaki al-Faraj, a 29-year-old Saudi man, was executed on October 17, 2026, over counterterrorism-related offenses, including alleged conduct dating back to when he was just 14 years old.

According to Human Rights Watch, al-Faraj was arrested in November 2017 and sentenced to death in 2022. His defense reportedly raised allegations that he had been tortured and coerced into confessing. The organization also said he was held in solitary confinement and denied access to a lawyer for three years.

The case has sparked further outrage because his family reportedly received no advance notice of the execution, and authorities withheld his remains. United Nations experts condemned the execution, stressing that international law prohibits the death penalty for offenses committed by individuals under 18.

The controversy has also drawn attention to Saudi Arabia’s legal protections for minors, particularly an exception that reportedly allows capital punishment in certain counterterrorism cases. Human rights advocates warn that other individuals convicted of offenses allegedly committed as minors could face similar outcomes.

The case leaves a troubling question at the center of the debate: Can justice truly be served when a person is executed for alleged acts committed during childhood?

Source: PEOPLE – Man, 29, Executed for Crime Committed When He Was 14 Years Old