AN atheist in Saudi Arabia has been sentenced to death after he uploaded videos renouncing Islam and the Prophet Mohammed on social media.

The deeply religious country’s Supreme Court has ruled against the man, named locally as Ahmad Al Shamri, after he was arrested in 2014.

A newspaper clipping reportedly showing the face of Ahmad Al Shamri who is set to be executed for blasphemy in Saudi Arabia

Al Shamri, in his 20s and from the town of Hafar al-Batin, was deemed ‘insane’ by his lawyers because he was using drugs and alcohol at the time he committed blasphemy, reports Erem News.

Saudi Arabia, which has been criticised for its poor human rights record, forbids its citizens from denouncing Islam and those who turn their back on the religion can be executed.

The Independent reports that many Saudi social media users backed the decision to execute the non-believer.

One wrote: “If you're a low key atheist that's fine.

“But once you talk in public and criticise God or religion, then you shall be punished.”

Another said: “I wish there could be live streaming when you cut his head off.”

Saudi Arabia carried out 153 executions under its strict Islamic legal code in 2016.

The ultra-conservative kingdom is one of the world’s most prolific executioners and murder, drug trafficking, armed robbery, rape and abandoning religion are all punishable by death.

Members of Magic Movement, a group of young Bangladeshis, stage a mock execution scene in protest of Saudi Arabia beheading of eight Bangladeshi workers in front of National Museum in Dhaka in 2011 Credit: Reuters

The death toll is slightly down from the year before.

Rights group Amnesty International said Saudi Arabia carried out at least 158 death sentences in 2015, coming third after Iran and Pakistan.

Amnesty’s figures do not include secretive China.

Murder and drug trafficking cases account for the majority of Saudi executions, although 47 people were put to death for “terrorism” offences on a single day in January.

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