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Saudi Arabia executes businessman 15 years after 2011 Qatif protests

Saudi Arabia executed Saud al-Faraj, 42, on April 1, 2026, over charges including participation in 2011 anti-government demonstrations in the Shia-majority Qatif region. Faraj maintained his innocence and claimed he was tortured into confessing; rights groups assert the charges conflate protest participation with terrorism allegations. The execution reflects ongoing Saudi security posture toward 2011 Arab Spring participants and raises questions about due process in terror-related cases.