Five executed in Saudi Arabia for murder, drug smuggling

A Jordanian and a Qatari national were among five people executed in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after they were separately found guilty of murder and drug smuggling, according to local media.

Saudi Gazette, quoting Saudi Press Agency, said Qatari national Mohammed Bin Mubarak Al Jarboui was executed in Al Ahsa in the Eastern Province.

He had been convicted of shooting dead a Saudi citizen following a dispute, the newspaper said.

The Jordanian, Abdallah Tayaha, was convicted of amphetamine trafficking, said Gulf Daily News.

He was put to death in the northwestern Jawf region, it said.

A man named as Qassadi Bin Ibrahim Atoudi was put to death in Jazan. He was found guilty of carrying out premeditated murder of a Saudi citizen and another person who died later.

The ministry executed two other people convicted of drug trafficking – Suleiman Bin Mubarak Al Masoudi and Ahmad Bin Suaifan Al Masoudi.  They were executed in Tabuk, the newspaper said.

The executions bring the total number of people sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia this year to 69, it was reported.

Human rights charity Amnesty International reported that the number of executions in Saudi Arabia last year was the highest for two decades – but below that of China and Iran.