Dubai: Amnesty International says a young Saudi man, arrested when he was 13, could get the death sentence for taking part in protests by minority Shiites demanding greater rights. The rights group says Murtaja Qureiris, now 18, is on trial for offenses that involve taking part in protests when he was just 10, including a rally that erupted at his older brother's funeral who was killed while protesting.
Saudi prosecutors sought capital punishment for Qureiris back in 2018, but details of his case emerged after CNN reported he faces charges of joining a "terror group" and "sowing sedition."
Saudi Arabia has intensified a crackdown on critics. In April, it carried out a mass execution of 37 men, which Amnesty says included a young Shiite male arrested at 16.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)