Saudi Arabia has condemned a man to death for being an atheist.
Ahmad Al Shamri is a young man in his 20s who did what many of us do — he used social media to share his views on life, religion, and the world. But when he shared that he was an atheist, the authorities took notice and immediately came after him.
A Saudi Arabian court first sentenced Mr. Shamri to death in February 2015, but he appealed the verdict and has spent years in prison while waiting for the court to overturn the punishment. Now, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia has issued its final verdict. And it has ruled against Mr. Shamri, confirming that he will be killed for his beliefs.
We don't know when or how Mr. Shamri will be executed. We don't know how much time he has left. But we do know that no one should be murdered for their personal beliefs — whether those beliefs are about religion, politics, society, or any other topic on the face of the earth. Murder is murder, even when it is carried out by a government.
We are urging the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia to rethink its decision and to spare Mr. Shamri's life! We must all band together and speak out strongly and loudly. Only a chorus of voices from the international community can save Mr. Shamri now.
