Earlier today, Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Nasir al Saud, a Saudi Arabian prince, was convicted of murdering his servant, Bandar Abdullah Abdulaziz, at a London hotel in February. He’s facing the death penalty, but not for the murder. No, he faces execution because he might’ve been gay. The murdered servant was his alleged partner.
Prosecutor Bobbie Cheema told England’s Old Bailey central criminal court: “Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia and carries the death penalty which is still applied in some cases.
“The country in which any alleged acts took place would have little bearing on the likelihood of prosecution as the Saudi legal system is based on the sharia law which is considered to be universal.”
She said prosecution would be a matter for the Saudi authorities but can depend on the wishes of the person’s family. Some relatives push for the harshest penalty if they are deemed to have shamed the family, she said.
Gay Saudis have been granted asylum in Britain on the basis they could face prosecution, “and potentially the death penalty—or harm if they returned,” Cheema said.
If he remains in London, the prince likely faces a lengthy prison sentence, which will be announced at tomorrow’s hearing.