Saudi man executed for murder of mother-in-law

RIYADH, Nov 19 (Reuters) A man convicted of murdering his mother-in-law was executed in Saudi Arabia today, taking to 23 the number of executions reported in the conservative Muslim kingdom so far this year.

The official news agency said Naji al-Tharawi, a Saudi, was put to death in the city of Mecca.

Saudi Arabia implements strict Islamic law and executions are usually carried out by public beheading with a sword. The country executed 86 people in 2005 and 36 in 2004.

Officials have not explained a decline in executions in the first half of this year, which follows criticism by human rights groups of the high rates in previous years.

Convicted murderers, rapists and drug traffickers are subject to the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.

REUTERS MQA BD1536