Immoral acts inside Mecca mosque, Saudi Arabia executes two Bangladeshis

Saudi Arabia has executed two Bangladeshi nationals convicted of committing what authorities described as immoral acts inside a mosque in the holy city of Mecca. However, Saudi authorities have disclosed few details about the alleged acts or the circumstances of the arrests.Muslims walk at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (Image: Reuters)New Delhi,Oct 15, 2026 19:57 ISTSaudi Arabia has executed two Bangladeshi nationals convicted of committing what authorities described as immoral acts inside a mosque in the holy city of Mecca. The executions were carried out on Wednesday (October 14), according to the Kingdom's Interior Ministry.The ministry identified the individuals as Nazerul Islam Abdul Basir and Siti Akhtar. The announcement was carried by the Saudi Press Agency, and reported by the Saudi news outlet, Ajel and Bangladesh's The Business Standard.According to the Saudi Interior Ministry, security authorities arrested the pair following the incident. After an investigation, they were formally charged and referred to a competent court, which found them guilty and sentenced them to death.The ministry said the court imposed capital punishment under ta'zir, a category of discretionary punishment under Islamic law, citing the gravity of their actions and the violation of the sanctity of time and place, reported Ajel. The sentences were subsequently upheld by the relevant judicial authorities, following which a royal order was issued authorising their implementation. The executions took place in the Mecca region on Wednesday, the ministry said.However, details remain sparse. The Saudi authorities have not disclosed the precise nature of the alleged acts or specified when and where the Bangladeshi pair were apprehended, in the statements cited by the reports.SAUDI ARABIA REITERATES WARNING, NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM BANGLADESH Following the execution, Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry reaffirmed the government's commitment to maintaining security, upholding justice and enforcing Islamic law against those found to have violated the sanctity of mosques or committed immoral acts, reported Ajel.The ministry also warned that anyone committing similar offences would face legal consequences under Saudi law.The announcement was reported by Gulf News, Ajel and The Business Standard, with the latter citing Ajel’s account of the ministry’s statement.The Business Standard reported that no statement from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was available at the time of publication on October 15.The executions come amid continued international scrutiny of Saudi Arabia's use of capital punishment. Yesterday, a Saudi's Supreme Court had overturned a death sentence awarded to Sri Lankan Hindu, Sivarasa Anojan, who was tried for blasphemy over a Facebook comment, which he had promptly deleted and apologised for. That relief came after a sustained diplomatic effort on the part of the Sri Lankan government.However, the statements cited in the reports in Saudi and Bangladeshi outlets did not provide details about whether the two individuals had received consular assistance, whether their families had been notified or whether any diplomatic representations had been made by Bangladesh.The available reports also did not specify the precise nature of the acts for which the pair were convicted. The allegations and the sentences were described by Saudi authorities in general terms, without further particulars in the statements cited by the news outlets.The executions were carried out after the judicial decisions were upheld, and a royal order was issued, according to the Interior Ministry.- Ends(Written by Shounak Sanyal)