Afghan beheaded for drug smuggling

May 13, 2002

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - An Afghan man was beheaded Monday in Saudi Arabia for smuggling heroin into the kingdom, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Habibollah bin Mohammed bin Rahmatollah had been convicted of heroin smuggling. The ministry said he was beheaded in the Red Sea port city of Jiddah, but gave no other details.

 The execution raised to 20 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.