SAUDI ARABIA - Execution

Saudi woman, Ethiopian man beheaded for murdering the woman's father

A Saudi woman was beheaded Sunday in Saudi Arabia for murdering her father by crushing his head with a stone while he slept, and an Ethiopian man also was executed for killing a compatriot in the kingdom, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

 No motive was provided for Zibna bint Saeed bin Mohammed al-Qahtani's killing of her father. The statement also said an Ethiopian man, whose name was given in Arabic as An Watiyo, was beheaded for killing a compatriot by bashing his head with an ax in an argument.

 Both beheadings took place in the southeastern Asir region, the statement said.

 Sunday's executions raised to 19 the number of convicts put to death this year in the kingdom. Last year, at least 81 people were beheaded in Saudi Arabia, which follows a strict interpretation of Islam and imposes the death penalty for murder, rape, drug trafficking and armed robbery.

Executions are performed in public with a sword.