What happened?

Saudi Arabia executed two Bangladeshi nationals, Najrul Islam Abdul Bashir and Siti Attar, on October 14 in the Mecca region. They were convicted of indecent conduct inside a mosque in central Mecca, Islam's holiest city.

How was the sentence decided?

According to the Saudi Interior Ministry, the pair were tried under the 'ta'zir' provision of Islamic law, which lets judges set punishments at their discretion. The ministry said the court treated the seriousness of the offense and the violation of the mosque's sanctity as key factors. The announcement was carried by the state news agency SPA and reported by Gulf News.

Why is Bangladesh concerned?

A Bangladeshi foreign ministry official said the speed of the arrests and executions was highly unusual. The official also noted that no one had contacted the Bangladeshi embassy on the detainees' behalf, which he said was hard to understand.

For international fans

This case has drawn attention beyond Saudi Arabia because Mecca is closed to non-Muslims and the mosque is central to Islamic worship. Saudi Arabia applies Islamic law in criminal cases, and sentences under discretionary provisions can differ from those in other countries.