An Interior Ministry statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency
said the two Pakistani men were beheaded in the western city of Medina,
raising to 23 the number of people executed on drug charges since the
beginning of May.

A separate statement carried by staterun television said the Saudi man had
been found guilty of shooting another Saudi to death and was beheaded in the
southwestern province of Asir.

The three public beheadings by the sword raised to 67 the number of
executions this year in the conservative Islamic kingdom.

Saudi Arabia enforces Islamic sharia law by publicly beheading convicted
murderers, rapists, drug smugglers and other criminals. It executed a total
of 68 people last year.

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