Drug trafficking: Saudi Arabia executes Pakistani man

According to statement issued by interior ministry, Izzat Gul was convicted of trafficking a large amount of heroin

JEDDAH:

Saudi Arabia beheaded a Pakistani on Thursday after sentencing him to death for drug trafficking, the interior ministry announced.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, Izzat Gul had been convicted of trafficking a large amount of heroin. Interestingly, it has not specified the exact quantity of heroin that has been trafficked. Izzat Gul’s execution in Jeddah has increased to 46 the number of executions carried out in the Saudi Arabia this year, according to an AFP tally. Human Rights Watch (HRW) expressed alarm last month at a surge in executions, which saw 19 people beheaded between August 4 and 20 alone.

HRW said eight of those executed had been convicted of non-violent offences such as drug trafficking and “sorcery”, and described the use of the death penalty in their cases as “particularly egregious”.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2014.