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A teenager arrested for taking part in an anti-government protest in Saudi Arabia is set to be crucified and beheaded after his appeal was dismissed.

Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was arrested in 2012 aged 17 and was also accused of illegally possessing firearms, a charge he strongly denies.

Critics say he is innocent and is being punished because his uncle is a prominent religious leader and human rights activist, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr - who was also sentenced to death in 2014.

(Image: Facebook/Free Sheikh Nimr Baqir Al-Nimr)

They go on to claim the teenager was tortured, denied access to a lawyer and not even told when his case was taking place until after he was sentenced to death.

They say he was forced to signed a confession and that there is no evidence against him.

His appeal was held in secret and without his knowledge. With legal avenues now exhausted, Ali could be executed at any moment.

Campaigners are now calling on the UK Government to put pressure on its allies in Saudi Arabia to block the execution.

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Maya Foa, director of the death penalty team at legal charity Reprieve said: "Ali was a vulnerable child when he was arrested and this ordeal began.

“It is hard to see what British interests are strong enough to trump the principle that we should not be supporting the ‘crucifixion’ of juveniles.

"The UK should have nothing to do with a so-called justice system responsible for atrocities such as this.

"It is extremely worrying to see the British Government abdicating its basic human rights values in the interests of cosying up to the Saudis.

"British complicity in gross abuses such as these is unacceptable and has to stop.”