News / Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia carries out 152nd beheading this year

Thursday, 24 December 2015 4:19 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 24 December 2015 4:28 PM ]

Laila Bin Abdul Muttalib Basim, a Muslim woman from Myanmar, is seen ahead of her execution in Saudi Arabia. (file photo)

Saudi Arabia has beheaded one of its citizens after sentencing him to death for murder, bringing to 152 the number of such executions in the kingdom since the start of this year.

The convict, identified as Saad Ben Mohamed al-Othman, was beheaded in the eastern city of Dammam on Thursday, the Saudi Interior Ministry said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.

Othman was executed after his conviction for murdering a fellow Saudi during an argument, the ministry added.

According to AFP tallies, the latest execution brings to 152 the number of locals and foreigners put to death this year.

Amnesty International has said that the number of executions in kingdom this year is the highest for two decades.

In early November, the rights group said Saudi authorities, on average, have put to death one person every other day in 2015. At least 71 foreign nationals were among those executed in Saudi Arabia this year.

In this file photograph taken on April 15, 2015, family members of beheaded Indonesian maid Siti Zainab display a poster (R) bearing her portrait at their family home in East Java Province. ©AFP

“Foreign nationals, mostly migrant workers from developing countries, are particularly vulnerable as they typically lack knowledge of Arabic and are denied adequate translation during their trials,” Amnesty said in a statement.

Under the Saudi law, apostasy, armed robbery, drug trafficking, rape and murder carry the death penalty. Most Saudi executions are carried out by beheading with a sword.

Riyadh has been under fire for having one of the world’s highest execution rates.

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