Saudi national executed for shooting man to death

A Saudi national has been executed in the country for shooting to death another citizen, the interior ministry announced on Thursday.

Hassan bin Mohammed bin Ali Asiri was allegedly found guilty of killing Musa bin Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Roqi, another Saudi national, by shooting a firearm due to a disagreement between them, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

Security authorities arrested the accused after the incident, and following an investigation, he was charged with the crime and brought before the criminal court.

The weapon he used was also produced in court as evidence and, after he was found guilty of the charges, he was sentenced to death, the report said.

The verdict was upheld by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, and an order was issued to enforce the death sentence.

Hassan bin Mohammed bin Ali Asiri was executed on Thursday in the Khamis Mushait governorate in Asir province, SPA reported.

The interior ministry asserted the keenness of the government “to maintain security and achieve justice” and punish violators of such heinous crimes.

Saudi Arabia uses the death penalty for several offences including murder, drug-related crimes and terrorism.

In September, another Saudi national was executed in the kingdom for shooting and killing a man in the region of Asir.

Last month, three Saudi nationals were executed in the kingdom’s Qatif region for robbing and killing five Indian nationals.

Read more: Three Saudi nationals executed in Qatif for brutally killing five Indians

According to Amnesty International, the kingdom executed 146 people in 2017.