Men facing imminent execution for opposing Saudi Arabias megacity The Line

The death sentences of three men who opposed Saudi Arabia's futurist megacity 'The Line' have been upheld.

The men are from the Howeitat tribe, a group that traditionally lives on land earmarked for the $750billion (£596bn) NEOM smart city project.

Mr Shadly Ahmad Mahmoud Abou Taqiqa al-Huwaiti, Mr Ibrahim Salih Ahmad Abou Khalil al-Huwaiti and Mr Atallah Moussa Mohammed al-Huwaiti were initially sentenced to death last year after refusing to move, opposing Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's project.

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The sentences were upheld in January this year. Three other tribesmen have been given 27, 35 and 50-year jail terms.

UN human rights experts have now raised the alarm with the executions said to be "imminent".

"Despite being charged with terrorism, they were reportedly arrested for resisting forced evictions in the name of the NEOM project and the construction of a 170km linear city called The Line," the UN experts said.

"Under international law, States that have not yet abolished the death penalty may only impose it for the ‘most serious crimes’, involving intentional killing.

"We do not believe the actions in question meet this threshold.

"All six individuals have been charged under the overly vague 2017 Saudi law on combating crimes of terrorism and its financing."

The Line is to be 500m tall, 200m wide and 170km long, 33 times bigger than New York City and running on 100% renewable energy with no roads or cars.

Sitting in the heart of Saudi Arabia's scorching desert, it will be home to 9million people. High-speed rail will mean residents can go from end to end in 20 minutes.

Despite all its high-tech wonders, The Line's construction has compelled residents of the area to move. The six men who refused to do so were detained and tortured.

The Crown Prince is Chairman of the NEOM megaproject’s board of directors.

"We committed to a civilizational revolution that puts humans first based on a radical change in urban planning," he said when the plans were released.

There was promised compensation for forced evictions that doesn't appear to have been implemented.

One member of the tribe, Mr Abdul Rahim bin Ahmed Mahmoud Al Huwaiti, was reportedly killed by the Saudi Special Forces.

Saudi authorities executed 122 people last year. Their crimes included adultery to blasphemy.

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