PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 22/003/2005

19 December 2005

Further Information on EXTRA 30/01 (MDE 22/001/2001, 23 May 2001) - Fear of Imminent Execution

QATAR Shaikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Hamad al-Thani (m)

18 other men

Shaikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Hamad al-Thani was granted a royal pardon and released in September. One of the 18 men sentenced to death with him, Bakhit Marzouq al-Abdallah, is now known to have been granted a royal pardon and released in January 2005.

The 19 had been sentenced to death by the Court of Appeal in May 2001 for their involvement in a 1996 coup attempt.

Shaikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Hamad al-Thani was arrested in July 1999, in connection with an attempt to overthrow the government of the Amir. Apparently the prosecution claimed that he had confessed to his part in the coup attempt, and he denied this.

Bakhit Marzouq al-Abdallah had been arrested in February 1999.

Some of those arrested in connection with the coup attempt alleged that they were tortured to force them to confess to being involved, but the authorities are not known to have carried out any investigation into these allegations.

No further action is requested from the UA network. Many thanks to all those who sent appeals. Amnesty International will be taking further campaigning action on behalf of the remaining 17 men, who are still under sentence of death.