Amnesty Intl: Saudi executions mostly foreigners

CAIRO, Egypt - Amnesty International is condemning a sharp increase in the number of executions in Saudi Arabia and what it says is the disproportionate number foreigners among those put to death.

The rights group is also criticizing the kingdom's execution of defendants who were younger than 18 at the time of their crimes.

Amnesty says the number of executions rose to 158 last year, compared with 39 recorded by the rights group the year before. The group says that that gives Saudi Arabia one of the highest rates of execution in the world.

A report released by Amnesty Tuesday says almost half of the 1,800 executions recorded by the group over the last 28 years were of foreigners. Most of them were migrant workers from poor countries. - AP

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