Saudi executes Pakistani, Nigerian over drugs

RIYADH, Nov 26 (Reuters) Saudi Arabia executed a Pakistani and a Nigerian today for smuggling drugs into the conservative Muslim kingdom, taking to 27 the number of executions reported so far this year.

Official news agency SPA said Pakistani Gul Mohammed and Nigerian Abdel-Wahhab bin Mahmoud, were put to death for trying to smuggle narcotics in their stomachs.

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 SSC GC1640