Avocats Sans Frontières France, ASF France, has condemned the execution of a Nigerian woman by the Saudi government for drug related offences on Monday April 2, 2019.
ASF France in a statement by Angela Uwandu, Head of Office, called on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to refrain from further executions of foreign nationals.
It recalled that drug related offences do not fall within the ambits of the ‘most serious offences’ under international law and urged the Saudi government to repeal the death penalty from its statutes book and especially for drug related offences.
It also urged the Nigerian government and mission in Saudi to ensure full adherence and respect of the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations for the about 20 Nigerians facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
“This is to ensure these Nigerians receive effective legal representation and fair trials accorded them.”
ASF France also called on the Nigerian government to review its own laws prescribing the death penalty if other countries such as Saudi Arabia are to take seriously the call of the Nigerian government to refrain from executing its nationals.
