Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
World
Elizabeth Arnold & George Ryan

Saudi Arabia crucifies man, beheads dozens and 'pins head to pole' in 'barbaric' day of executions

The "repulsive" crucifixion of a Saudi national, who was among 37 men executed in one day, has been condemned by a Foreign Office minister.

Sir Alan Duncan told MPs it "is a deeply backward step" by the Saudi government, in response to an urgent question from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable asking what representations the Government has made to the Saudis about the executions.

Saudi Arabia executed 37 Saudi nationals for " terrorism -related crimes", according to the country's interior ministry.

State-run media carried statements on Tuesday to say those executed had "adopted extremist ideologies and formed terrorist cells with the aim of spreading chaos and provoking sectarian strife".

Shadow foreign minister Fabian Hamilton said the Saudi regime "appears to care very little about international law".

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable wanted answers over executions (AFP/Getty Images)

Takeaway worker admits to murdering Glasgow sex worker at her flat more than 20 years ago

He added: "Publicly pinning one of the heads to a pole as a warning is not only disturbingly barbaric and medieval in nature, but it is also an abhorrent violation of human rights."

Sir Alan responded: "All here would want to defend human rights and abhor executions of this sort. We really do genuinely disapprove in the strongest possible terms what has happened, particularly when it was reported that one of them was displayed on a cross, something that anyone here just a few days after Easter would find more repulsive."

Lyra McKee funeral: Hundreds of heartbroken mourners gather for journalist shot by New IRA  

Earlier, Sir Vince said three of those executed were juveniles and "possibly more".

He added: "Does he (Sir Alan) not accept that Britain's moral position on this is somewhat compromised by the continued supply of arms fuelling atrocities in the civil war in Yemen and that we are in urgent need of a reappraisal of our relationship with Saudi Arabia given the fact that the continued medieval barbarism of this regime does not constitute the basis for a friendly alliance and, indeed, makes it an enemy of our values and our human rights."

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.