SAUDI ARABIA. ENVOY DENIES FINALISATION OF TURK’S DEATH SENTENCE

May 2, 2008: news reports stated that Saudi Arabian authorities approved the execution order of a Turkish citizen sentenced to death for blasphemy, but Turkey's envoy to Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Naci Koru, denied that this was true.
Sabri Boğday, 31, from the southeastern city of Hatay, is accused of having used obscene language to refer to God during an argument with his Egyptian neighbor. Boğday and his family say he is the victim of malicious slander.
A court of first instance had sentenced Boğday to the death penalty; however, signatures of all the judges were necessary for this decision, Koru explained, adding that the latest development in the case was the fact that the one lacking signature was added as of Wednesday.
"The information that the death penalty decision has been approved is totally incorrect," Koru said. Koru noted that they would appeal to the court within one month and expressed hope concerning the outcome of their efforts. (Sources: Today's Zaman, 02/05/2008)