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SAUDI ARABIA: SUPREME COURT ORDERS RETRIAL OF EGYPTIAN ENGINEER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
January 17, 2020: Saudi Arabia's Supreme Court has ordered the retrial of Egyptian engineer Ali Abul-Qasim, who has been sentenced to death for smuggling and trafficking drugs in the kingdom, Ahram Online reported on 15 January 2020.
Abul-Qasim, who had worked in Saudi Arabia since 2007, was sentenced to death in 2017 in a first degree decision, after being convicted on charges of smuggling and trafficking drugs.
Abul-Qasim's wife Ibtesam Salama has said in a video clip posted on Facebook that her husband was arrested after Saudi authorities discovered drugs hidden inside equipment sent to Abul-Qasim from Egypt.
She said that her husband had no knowledge that the shipment of engineering equipment he received was concealing drugs, and that Egypt has arrested the members of the gang responsible.
The Egyptian general prosecution has sent to authorities in Saudi Arabia all the documents detailing the case against the alleged drug smugglers who sent a shipment of narcotic pills from Egypt to the Egyptian engineer.
In a phone call with his Saudi counterpart, Egypt's Prosecutor-General Hamada El-Sawy praised the efforts exerted by the general prosecution in the kingdom.
Both sides asserted the importance of continuing cooperation to achieve justice in issues of common concern. (Sources: Ahram Online, 15/01/2020)
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