(15 March 2013 – Geneva, Switzerland) Defence for Children International (DCI) strongly condemns the execution by firing squad on 13 March 2013 of seven young men in Saudi Arabia, and the execution of a young man in Yemen on 9 March 2013, for crimes committed as juveniles. DCI would like to express its deep regret that repeated calls and lobbying efforts by international and local civil society organizations, and the United Nations, not to carry out the death sentences were disregarded. Defence for Children International –Yemen (DCI-Yemen/Democracy School) and the Children’s Parliament have informed DCI that presently there are twenty (20) juveniles who have been sentenced to the death penalty in Yemen. “We regret the execution of the juvenile Mohammed Abdulkarim Haza’a and ask international and local organizations in Yemen to unify the efforts to save 20 more juveniles who might be executed at any time,” said Jamal Abdullah Al-Shami, President of DCI-Yemen. Read the full press release in English | French | Spanish | Arabic |