Saudi Arabia King ordered jail terms ranging 3-30 years for mercenaries fighting outside country

Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King of Saudi Arabia on 4 February 2014 ordered jail terms ranging from three to thirty years for the Saudi citizens, who are fighting outside the country. This order has been passed to curb the number of people of Saudi Arabia, who go outside their country to fight in other countries like Syria along with the foreign fighters. This move is a follow-up of the reports on foreign fighters in large numbers including people of Saudi Arabia, fighting in Syria and other countries.

The whip has been cracked by the King against the citizens who go out from Saudi Arabia to fight alongside the rebels in Syria and other countries. Those people can now be jailed for terms from 3 to 20 years. The military personnel convicted under the act will be face a harsher punishment of jail terms ranging from 5 to 30 years.

The announced law will also be applicable to the members of local, regional and international extremists as well as the terrorist groups. To draft and update a list of illegal groups, a committee of members from various government organisations has been formed by the King.