Saudi Arabia executes 37 people on charges of ‘terrorism’

The Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry has carried out the execution of 37 Saudi nationals charged with terrorism, Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday, citing the ministry.

The sentences were carried out in Riyadh, the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina, central Qassim province, and Eastern Province, home to the country’s Shia minority, Al Jazeera reports.

The interior ministry said the individuals had been found guilty according to the law and ordered to be executed by the Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh, which focuses on terrorism trials, and the country’s high court.

According to Human Rights Watch, Saudi Arabia executed 139 people in 2018 based on the interior ministry’s statements. Most of the executions were for murder and drug charges.