Three paedophiles were publicly shot then hanged from a crane in Yemen yesterday as punishment for raping and killing a ten-year-old boy.

Disturbing pictures show the rapists in blue overalls paraded in front of crowds in the centre of Sana'a, the country's largest city.

They were handcuffed, ordered to lie face down and shot five times in the heart.

The corpses were winched high into the air by a crane where they were left hanging as a grim warning to other potential offenders while onlookers took pictures on mobile phones

Disturbing pictures show the rapists in blue jump suits paraded in front of crowds in the centre of Sana'a, the country's largest city

One of the paedophiles is taken to a mat where he is told to lie down before being shot

Their corpses were then winched high into the air by a crane where they were left hanging as a grim warning to other potential offenders while onlookers took pictures on mobile phones.

Yemen, south of Saudi Arabia, is one of the world's top executors with capital punishment for violent crimes including murder, rape, and terrorism.

The death penalty can also theoretically be used in cases of Islamic or 'Hudud' offences under Sharia law such as adultery, sexual misconduct, sodomy, prostitution, blasphemy and apostasy.

All sentences are carried out by shooting although stoning, hanging, and beheading are also permitted within the Yemeni penal code.

All death sentences in Yemen are carried out by shooting although stoning, hanging, and beheading are also permitted within the penal code. Pictured: A rapist before execution

Yemen is one of the world's top executors with capital punishment for violent crimes including murder, rape, and terrorism. Pictured: A policeman holds a rapist before execution

A Yemeni doctor looks on as a police officer prepare to shoot a man after he was convicted of raping and murdering a ten-year old boy

Around 50 counties in the world still have the death penalty.

Yesterday Saudi Arabia executed and crucified a man who stabbed a woman to death.

The man from Myanmar was beheaded and his body put on display on a cross in Mecca.