A court in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday overturned a death sentence against a Palestinian poet convicted of apostasy, giving him eight years in prison instead, his lawyer said.
The court in the southwestern city of Abha “overturned the previous sentence to execute him for apostasy,” the lawyer for Ashraf Fayad said in a statement he posted on Twitter.
The ruling follows widespread international criticism of the rising number of executions by the ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom.
Fayad was also sentenced to 800 lashes, in sessions of 50 lashes, his lawyer Abdul Rahman al-Malahim said.
He must repent through an announcement in official media.
The defence objects to the new ruling and has asked for Fayad’s release, Malahim added.
