VOA慢速英语2015 越来越多的人在沙特阿拉伯被处决
时间：2019-01-12 作者：英语课 分类：2015年VOA慢速英语(六)月
AS IT IS 2015-06-02 Rising Number of Executions in Saudi Arabia 越来越多的人在沙特阿拉伯被处决
Human rights groups are reporting an increase in the number of executions in Saudi Arabia. Saudi executions are usually beheadings, where the prisoner is killed in a public place. Some observers say the increase could be a show of force by the government. They say Saudi officials are seeking to keep the kingdom safe from a security crisis in other countries.
Last week, Saudi Arabia executed its 89th prisoner this year. That is almost equal to the number killed in all of 2014. Adam Coogle studies Middle East issues for Human Rights Watch. He says Saudi officials have given no reason for the increase.
“Saudi Arabian authorities do not comment publicly on this issue other than to say that under Islamic Law it is their right to carry out executions. Because they do not release information, we really do not know for sure why there has been a rise in the number of those executions over the last, really eight to nine months.”
The rise in executions began last August, after Islamic State militants 1 launched attacks on communities in Iraq and Syria. The militant 2 group, also known as ISIS, gained control of large areas with surprising speed.
Sevag Kechichian is a Saudi Arabia expert with the rights group Amnesty International. He says the increased number of executions may be a product of unrest in the area.
“The theory is the reason why the Saudi authorities have been carrying out executions at such a rate is because they want to signal to ISIS, to others in the region, that they are quite in charge or in control of what is going on inside the country and that they will punish transgressions 3 extremely harshly. It is sort of a show of power."
There are competing theories to explain the increase, he adds, like increased efficiency in the judiciary.
Most executions are carried out in public spaces, and the condemned 4 are beheaded. Sometimes, the bodies are left lying in the open.
Twenty-two countries permit execution as a form of punishment. Saudi Arabia is often on the list of the top five countries that perform the most executions. The other four are China, Iran, Iraq and the United States.
Adam Coogle of Human Rights Watch says there is strong evidence that Saudi courts do not meet international norms for fair trials.
“Some people allege 5 that they were coerced 6 into confessing. Some people claim they had difficulty accessing lawyers. One of the big issues is the defendants 7 not actually initially 8 knowing the charges against them, until after they have actually been brought before a judge.”
He adds that nearly half of all executions in Saudi Arabia are for crimes related to drug trafficking. And he says some people are executed for other non-violent crimes, like having sex with someone other than your husband or wife.
Last year, Shia Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was sentenced to death. The sentence was announced after he was accused of disobeying the ruler and inciting 9 religious violence. He also was accused of supporting and leading demonstrations 10. His case fueled protests around the world.
If al-Nimr is executed, tensions could increase between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims in Saudi Arabia and other countries.
But a Kuwait-based observer, Haidar Ghadhanfari, thinks the execution is unlikely. He notes recent Saudi efforts to reach out to the country’s Shia minority.
Amnesty’s Sevag Kechichian says the possibility for political unrest could delay or cancel the execution. He claims that al-Nimr’s trial had a political motive 11 and lacked strong evidence. Even so, some officials appear ready to carry out the sentence.
Words in This Story
beheading(s) – n. cutting off the head of someone as a punishment
transgression(s) – n. a violation 12 of the law; wrongdoing; mistake
coerce(d) – v. making someone do something by use of force or threats
confess(ing) – v. to admit that you did something wrong or illegal
motive - n. a reason for doing something
- The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
- Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。
- Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
- He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。
- Many marine transgressions occur across coastal plains. 许多海运是横越滨海平原。 来自辞典例句
- For I know my transgressions, and my sin always before me. 因为我知道我的过犯，我的罪常在我面前。 来自互联网
- The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
- Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。
- They were coerced into negotiating a settlement. 他们被迫通过谈判解决。
- He was coerced into making a confession. 他被迫招供。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
- As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
- The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
- Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。
- What are you up to inciting mutiny and insubordination? 你们干吗在这里煽动骚动的叛乱呀。
- He was charged with inciting people to rebel. 他被控煽动民众起来叛乱。
- Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
- The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。
- The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
- He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。