Key facts
- Two Bangladeshi nationals were executed in Mecca last Wednesday.
- Saudi authorities stated the pair were convicted of an "indecent act" inside a mosque.
- Bangladesh's government was not informed of the executions until after they occurred.
- The Saudi interior ministry stated the sentences were under "tazir", discretionary punishments in Islamic law.
Bangladesh's government has stated it was not informed of the execution of two of its citizens in Saudi Arabia until after the event had taken place, local media reported. The Saudi interior ministry said the two Bangladeshi nationals were executed last Wednesday after being convicted of committing an "indecent act" inside a mosque. The ministry did not specify the nature of the act, but stated the sentences were handed down under "tazir," which refers to punishments left to the discretion of a judge in Islamic law, due to the severity of the offense and its violation of the mosque's sanctity. Bangladesh has reached out to the Saudi government for more details on the case and legal proceedings. The country is home to over three million Bangladeshi workers, and news of the execution has caused public concern. According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia has executed around 100 people this year, many of whom were foreigners convicted of drug offenses.