Advert for executioners condemned as ‘grotesque’ by Amnesty International

Amnesty International has condemned as “grotesque” the Saudi Arabian government’s advertisement for eight executioners to carry out its public beheadings.

The advert on its civil service appointment system says the person will not need to have any specific qualifications and that the successful candidate will be remunerated at the lower end of the civil service pay scale.

Applicants will also be expected to carry out amputations on those found guilty of lesser offences — the punishment for theft is to have a hand cut off.

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Saudi Arabia executed almost 90 people last year — already in 2015 it has put 84 people to death for a range of crimes including murder, drug trafficking, and rape.

Amnesty International has laid much of the blame for the upsurge in executions on King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, who came to power at the start of the year.

Colm O’Gorman, of Amnesty International Ireland, said: “There is something particularly grotesque about a job advert that seeks to recruit someone whose role involves the deliberate killing of people.

“Saudi Arabia has the world’s third-highest recorded executions, last year putting at least 90 people to death. Now they are looking to recruit more executioners, people who will kill women and men in cold blood, by beheading them in public executions.

“Hiring more executioners is a significant regressive step and shows us that Saudi Arabia seems determined to continue with this form of punishment.”

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