In brief
Two Bangladeshi men and women were executed last Wednesday in Mecca after being convicted of an alleged 'indecent act' inside a mosque. Bangkok authorities reported they were unaware of the executions until after the fact, sparking concern over the treatment of the diaspora. The Saudi Interior Ministry described the crime as a severe violation of mosque sanctity, sentencing the pair under the discretionary punishment of tazir. Bangladesh has reached out to Riyadh for details and is considering possible repatriation of the bodies once more information is received. The incident follows a history of foreign executions in Saudi Arabia, including past cases involving Bangladeshis and other nationals.
Bangladeshi authorities say they were not informed of the recent execution of two Bangladeshi nationals in the holy city of Mecca until after it had taken place, local media reports.
+Bangladesh police and diplomats have expressed shock and concern that the executions, which occurred last Wednesday, were not communicated to their government before the fact.
+A Bangladeshi man and woman were executed after being convicted of committing an indecent act inside a mosque, according to the Saudi interior ministry. The ministry did not specify the nature of the offence.
+The Saudi authorities said the pair were sentenced under tazir, a discretionary punishment in Islamic law, citing the severity of the offence and the violation of the mosque’s sanctity.
+Bangladesh has reached out to the Saudi Arabian government to request further details about the case and has said it will consider next steps—including the possible repatriation of the bodies—once more information is furnished.
+Experts note that more than three million Bangladeshis live and work in Saudi Arabia, mainly in low‑paying jobs, and that this double execution has raised significant public concern in Bangladesh about the safety of overseas workers.
+The case follows a longer history of executions of foreign nationals by Saudi authorities, including eight Bangladeshi men in 2011 and a Sri Lankan man whose death sentence was recently overturned following international outcry.
+Amnesty International reports that Saudi Arabia has executed around 100 people this year, many of them foreigners charged with drug offences.
+For more details, see the full report on BBC News.
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