Sudanese man beheaded in Saudi Arabia Published duration 19 December 2012

A Sudanese man convicted of murder has been beheaded in Saudi Arabia, the Gulf kingdom's interior ministry has said.

According to the ministry statement, published by the state news agency, the execution of Othman Mohammed took place in the western city of Mecca.

He had been found guilty of killing another man from Sudan, Salah Ahmed, by repeatedly beating him around the head.

Under the kingdom's strict Islamic laws, the death penalty can be imposed for a number of offences.

These include murder, rape and drug trafficking.

Amnesty International says there were a total of 89 executions in Saudi Arabia last year.