Urgent concerns are growing over the case of Youssef al-Manasif, who faces imminent execution in Saudi Arabia. He was 15 years old when the alleged offences took place.
Youssef attended protests calling for religious freedom and funerals that the government classified as demonstrations. He was arrested in 2017 at the age of 17.
Reports say he was tortured into a false confession. He did not meet his court-appointed lawyer until five years after his arrest.
He was convicted by Saudi Arabia’s Specialized Criminal Court. His death sentence has been upheld by the Supreme Court.
In 2020, Saudi Arabia announced it would abolish the death penalty for minors. However, human rights groups say executions for childhood offences have continued.
At least 17 people have been executed since 2015 for crimes committed as children. Ali al-Subaiti was executed in April 2026 for offences he was 12 when they allegedly occurred.
Saudi Arabia carried out 356 executions last year — a modern-era record.
Critics note that the United States has remained publicly silent on Youssef’s case. This contrasts with its stance on human rights issues in other nations.
Campaigners are calling on governments worldwide to intervene immediately. They urge the Saudi authorities to commute Youssef’s sentence.