Authorities in Saudi Arabia have executed the 76th person to be put to death in the country this year.

Saudi citizen Abdullah al-Harbi was executed after being convicted for murder, state media reported.

The manner of the execution was not specified, but many people convicted of criminal charges are beheaded.

His death brings the number of executions in the conservative Islamic state to 76, according to AFP news agency, which keeps record of Saudi executions.

The number of people executed in Saudi Arabia, a close ally of Britain, in the first three months of 2016 compared to the 153 people killed by the state in all of 2015 - described by Amnesty International as the highest in 20 years.

In the Wahabi Saudi interpretation of Sharia law, apostasy, armed robbery, drug trafficking, rape and murder all carry the death penalty.

The rate of executions has dramatically increased since the accession of King Salman in January 2015.

In January, there was an international outcry following the mass execution of 47 people on terrorism charges, including influential Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Show all 8 1 /8 Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Abdullah al-Zaher Abdullah al-Zaher was arrested at the age of 15 for attending a protest and he is was the youngest in a group of juvenile offenders put on death row Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Abdullah al-Zaher Previously held alongside fellow juvenile offender Ali al-Nimr, whose case sparked outrage around the world, Abdullah has now been moved to solitary confinement at a new facility and could be beheaded at any moment Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Abdullah al-Zaher His family and lawyers believe he was forced to sign a document without knowing its contents, and which later was used as a “confession” in the closed trial against him Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Ali Mohammed al-Nimr Ali Mohammed al-Nimr faces imminent beheading and crucifixion for crimes he reportedly committed as a child Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Ali Mohammed al-Nimr The UN has issued an urgent call for Saudi Arabia to halt his execution but a Saudi court has upheld the sentence of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, the son of a prominent government dissident, despite growing and high-level international condemnation Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Ali Mohammed al-Nimr Mr al-Nimr, who was arrested in 2012 for his participation in Arab Spring protests when he was just 16 or 17 years old, could now be put to death at any time Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Dawood al-Marhoon Dawood al-Marhoon was 17 year old when he was arrested for participating in an anti-government protest Juveniles on death row in Saudi Arabia Dawood al-Marhoon After refusing to spy on his fellow protesters, he was tortured and forced to sign a blank document that would later contain his ‘confession’. At Dawood’s trial, the prosecution requested death by crucifixion while refusing him a lawyer

Saudi Arabia has been criticised by rights groups over it frequent use of the death penalty, one of the highest in the world.

Among those facing execution is journalist Alaa Brinji, who has campaigned for women’s rights.

Accused of apostasy charges including ‘calling for secularist thought’ and ‘ridiculing Islamic religious figures’, he has been denied legal support, according to Amnesty International.

He has also been charged with breaching cybercrime laws, which Amnesty International said related to his use of social media.

In addition to the death penalty, the country continues to face criticism over its treatment of women and its millitary campaign in Yemen, for which it has been accused of killing civilians in air strikes.

In the UK, Saudi Arabia has faced renewed criticism following a documentary which aired this week.