Saudi saved from gallows for King’s recovery

A Saudi killer was saved from execution after the victim’s father pardoned him to celebrate King Abdullah’s recovery from a back surgery in the United States, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Abdullah Ahmed Al Fifi said he went to court in the southern province of Jazan and told the judge that he had pardoned his son’s killer, Hassan Salman, Alwatan Arabic language daily said.

“Al Fifi said he decided to pardon Salman to celebrate the Monarch’s recovery,” the paper said.

It did not say whether Salman had been set free but under Islam, a killer could be released from jail if pardoned by the victim’s relatives for free or in return for diya (blood money).

Alwatan said Salman had been in jail for nearly seven years for murdering his relative during a fight.