SCC 10/31/2005
Type
Case
Court
Saudi Arabia Court of Cassation
Jurisdiction
Saudi Arabia
Taxonomy
Offences against the Person, Children, General Family Law
Copyright
LexisNexis
Decision date
20 Feb 2005
Catchwords
Offences against the Person – Family law – Children – Sentencing
These case involved heirs of a deceased woman claiming she was shot dead by the defendant. The heirs requested the court to execute the defendant who admitted the shooting of his own wife who had a three-year-old son. The court ruled the defendant should not be executed because of having a son who was still alive.
Background
The heirs of a deceased woman filed a case at the Riyadh General Court against a defendant claiming he had shot and killed the woman who was the defendant's wife. The heirs requested the court to punish the defendant according to the Sharia Law by execution. The heirs stated the woman had a three year old son.
The defendant admitted the shooting but stated the woman had tried to shoot him before he had killed her.
The heirs and the defendant admitted that the woman had a son and he was still alive.
Decision
The court ruled if one parent kills the other one and they have a son/daughter, the killer should not be executed.
The court of cassation upheld the ruling.