SAUDI ARABIA: 31 DEATH ROW PRISONERS PARDONED IN 8 MONTHS

July 11, 2013: From November 2012 to 11 July 2013, at least 31 prisoners were spared the capital punishment in Saudi Arabia after they were pardoned by the victims’ families, local Arabic daily Al Sharq said.
The former prisoners were released after their relatives or tribes paid diya (blood money) or fulfilled demands by the victims’ families, such as moving away from the area.
“Most pardon cases were related to paying diya,” a source told the daily. “However, in a few cases, it was just the families pardoning the culprit.”
According to the report, the Red Sea city of Jeddah recorded seven pardon cases, the highest in the kingdom, followed by Dammam, the largest city in the Eastern Province with six cases. The capital Riyadh was third with five pardons granted by families. (Sources: Manama, 11/07/2013)