Saudi Arabia executes 2 Pakistanis over drugs

RIYADH, Dec 6 (Reuters) Saudi Arabia executed a Pakistani man and woman for drug smuggling today, taking to 31 the number of executions reported by the conservative Muslim kingdom so far this year.

The official SPA news agency said Mohammed Mayaseed and Abagan Rafik were put to death in Mecca after being convicted of smuggling heroin into the kingdom inside 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 2004 and 36 in 2005.

Officials have not explained the fall in the number of executions this year, which follows criticism by human rights groups of the high number in previous years.

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

REUTERS LL PM1921