Saudi Arabia's execution record; Venezuela's crackdown; Bahrain Twitter trial: HRW Daily Brief

Saudi Arabia has executed over 100 people so far in 2016, many for non-violent crimes such as drug offenses and "sorcery." Meanwhile, longstanding due process violations in the Saudi criminal justice system highlight the troubling fact that many people are being sentenced to death while fair trial concerns persist. Saudi Arabia trails only Iran for having the highest execution rate in the Middle East. Rather than hold onto this dubious distinction, Saudi Arabia should heed calls to stop the use of capital punishment immediately. Venezuela's crackdown on political dissent has resulted in the arbitrary detention of 21 people, the majority of whom have been charged with criminal offenses. In several cases, detainees alleged physical abuse by security forces, some of which could amount to torture. Venezuela's Maduro administration should immediately release any dissidents arbitrarily detained and drop any criminal charges against them. Evidence of thousands of civilian casualties in Yemen as a result of airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition has been mounting for over a year. But despite numerous attempts to urge governments to help stop these abuses, unlawful coalition attacks have increased. But the United Kingdom, one of the most reluctant to acknowledge coalition crimes, has now relented some. Hopefully it is a step toward pressuring the coalition to end the abuses. Afghanistan's civilians are still suffering, and children are increasingly being killed or injured in the ongoing conflict, according to a new report. Taliban attacks, which have included suicide bombings in civilian areas, are responsible for most casualties, but deaths and injuries attributed to Afghan armed forces are also worryingly on the rise. Unless both sides adopt corrective measures, civilian casualties can be expecting to continue. From earlier today: Hundreds of women have been gang raped in Burundi during a wave of political protests that have gripped the country - often with their children nearby, Human Rights Watch reports today. The attackers are members of Burundi’s ruling party youth league or men in police uniforms. Many women have fled the country, but not even in refugee camps are they safe.