Washington, DC - May 27, 2008 - Sabri Bogday, a Turkish national, has been sentenced to death by a Saudi court on March 31, 2008 for allegedly cursing the name of God in his barber shop during an argument with a client. Reportedly, Bogday was not represented by a lawyer in court and did not have access to a translator. He denied the charges, but the Court ruled that Bogday committed a crime of apostasy, defection from Islam, under Saudi laws and regarded the testimony by the Saudi client and an Egyptian neighbor as sufficient evidence for the death sentence. The Mekka appeals court upheld the lower court sentence on May 1. Currently held in prison, Bogday could face imminent execution, if his sentence is approved by the King of Saudi Arabia. Bogday has 17 month old child and has lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for over 11 years.
Human Rights Watch condemned the death sentence of Bogday and issued a statement, condemning the sentence as "an unequivocal violation of freedom of expression protected under international law."
Amnesty International issued an urgent appeal for Bogday for a fax campaign toward Saudi officials.
TCA urges you to appeal to the Saudi government to commute Bogday's sentence and spare his life. The goal of this campaign is to ask for leniency for Bogday, please note that "attack" letters will not help his case.
Appeals should be addressed to
His Majesty King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud
The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques
Salutation: Your Majesty
Faxes can be sent to the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia at Fax: 202-944-5983, with copy to
His Excellency Adel A. Al-Jubeir
Ambassador of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
601 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20037
