15 January 2009 :

in Taif, a Saudi Arabian man who was sentenced to death for murder was pardoned at the last minute by his victim’s mother. The man, named Hisham, was forgiven just before his execution at a crowded execution square in Taif. The victim’s mother came forward in the last minute and announced putting her hand on Hisham’s head that she had forgiven him. The pardon was achieved through efforts by the Reconciliation Committee, a nation-wide organisation that secures pardons for death row prisoners and helps settle lengthy inter-family and tribal disputes through settle efforts.