On the eve of his trip to Saudi Arabia, the families of two of Reprieve child defendant clients wrote to Prince William, asking him to raise their cases with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and ask for their release.
Youssef al-Manasif is alleged to have attended protests when he was 15-17 years old. Jawad Qureiris was charged with attending a demonstration when he was only 13. Both are at imminent risk of execution. If the Supreme Court ratifies their death sentences, they will be killed.
Saudi Arabia’s authorities claim to have abolished the death penalty for childhood crimes, announcing a Royal Decree in 2020 that remains unpublished. Last year, the Kingdom openly resumed executions of child defendants, executing Abdullah al-Derazi and Jalal al-Labbad for non-lethal, protest-related offences committed when they were under the age of 18.
Reprieve, Child Rights International Network and ALQST for Human Rights also wrote to the Prince, setting the cases in context and asking him to intercede.
Mail Online published an exclusive story based on the letters – it can be read here. It was subsequently picked up by GB News and MSN.
The letter from the families in full
Your Royal Highness Prince William,
We write to you as the families of Yousef Al-Manasif and Jawad Al-Qureiris, two young men in Saudi Arabia who now face the imminent risk of execution, despite having been children at the time of the alleged events.
Our sons were arrested and convicted of offences related to attending protests, many of which occurred before they turned eighteen. Since then, they have spent long years behind prison walls, deprived of their freedom and a normal life with their families. They grew up in prison, while their youth slowly slipped away.
Today, we live with constant and unbearable fear. Every phone call, every piece of news, every moment of silence brings with it the possibility of loss. We fear that our sons could be executed at any moment, without warning, without our ability to protect them, or even to say goodbye. Our children have suffered enough, and our families have endured years of anguish, uncertainty, and pain alongside them.
We are reaching out to you because you are known for your commitment to children’s rights. Our sons were children when their freedom was taken away, and they continue to pay the price for acts alleged against them as minors. We believe that children should be protected — not executed.
As your visit approaches, we understand that it comes as part of the commemoration of the historic relationship between our beloved country and yours. From the depths of our hearts, we hope that this visit can bring back light and life to our families. Our sons have already suffered enough, and all we ask is that you help to protect their lives, allowing us to hold them, without the constant fear of losing them at any moment. We ask for nothing more than their right to live.
We respectfully urge you to raise the names of Yousef Al-Manasif and Jawad Al-Qureiris, and to call for their protection and for a halt to any execution plans against them.
With deepest respect and hope,
The families of
Yousef Al-Manasif
Jawad Al-Qureiris
