Saudi convicted of drug smuggling beheaded

A Saudi national was beheaded by Saudi authorities for smuggling drugs, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The statement, carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, said Jari al-Dossari was arrested while receiving a large quantity of hashish. He was executed in Riyadh's al-Sulail province.

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which people convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape and armed robbery can be executed.

Thursday's execution brought to 82 the number of people, including two women, beheaded in the kingdom this year. Executions are performed with a sword and in public as a deterrent. The kingdom beheaded 38 people last year and 83 people in 2005.