<p>Saudi Arabia on Monday executed a Yemeni man accused of plotting a suicide attack in the kingdom and of links to the Islamic State jihadist group, the interior ministry said.</p>.<p>The wealthy Gulf country, with one of the world's highest execution rates, has been the target of a series of deadly IS shootings and bombings since late 2014.</p>.<p>"Mohammed al-Saddam, a Yemeni national, sought to target civilian gatherings at a public facility under the instructions of the Daesh terrorist organisation," the interior ministry said in a statement, referring to IS by its Arabic acronym.</p>.<p>"The death sentence was carried on Monday in the city of Riyadh."</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/saudi-led-coalition-hits-yemen-rebel-camp-in-ramped-up-air-war-1064879.html" target="_blank">Saudi-led coalition hits Yemen rebel camp in ramped up air war</a></strong></p>.<p>It said the man had "pledged allegiance to IS" and was planning a "suicide attack using an explosive belt", without elaborating on the case or when the Yemeni was arrested.</p>.<p>The Saudi authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.</p>.<p>The number of executions had dropped significantly in 2020, partly due to a moratorium on executions of people sentenced to death for drug trafficking.</p>.<p>But Amnesty International said in August that at least 40 people were executed this year between January and July in Saudi Arabia, more than for the whole of 2020.</p>.<p>A total of nearly 70 people have been executed this year in the kingdom, according to an <em>AFP </em>tally based on official statements.</p>.<p>Saudi Arabia put 184 people to death in 2019, according to Amnesty, which has said it was the highest number recorded in a single year in the country.</p>.<p>Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia's state-run Human Rights Commission said it had documented 27 executions in 2020.</p>.<p>Last year, the HRC also announced that Saudi Arabia was abolishing court-ordered floggings, in a reform move welcomed by rights campaigners.</p>.<p>In November, Saudi Arabia released a man who was arrested as a minor in 2012 after nine years in prison for participating in anti-government protests.</p>.<p>Activists, however, are sceptical that reforms will extend to the release of political prisoners, a pause on a sweeping crackdown on dissent or an end to executions.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>Saudi Arabia on Monday executed a Yemeni man accused of plotting a suicide attack in the kingdom and of links to the Islamic State jihadist group, the interior ministry said.</p>.<p>The wealthy Gulf country, with one of the world's highest execution rates, has been the target of a series of deadly IS shootings and bombings since late 2014.</p>.<p>"Mohammed al-Saddam, a Yemeni national, sought to target civilian gatherings at a public facility under the instructions of the Daesh terrorist organisation," the interior ministry said in a statement, referring to IS by its Arabic acronym.</p>.<p>"The death sentence was carried on Monday in the city of Riyadh."</p>.<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/saudi-led-coalition-hits-yemen-rebel-camp-in-ramped-up-air-war-1064879.html" target="_blank">Saudi-led coalition hits Yemen rebel camp in ramped up air war</a></strong></p>.<p>It said the man had "pledged allegiance to IS" and was planning a "suicide attack using an explosive belt", without elaborating on the case or when the Yemeni was arrested.</p>.<p>The Saudi authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.</p>.<p>The number of executions had dropped significantly in 2020, partly due to a moratorium on executions of people sentenced to death for drug trafficking.</p>.<p>But Amnesty International said in August that at least 40 people were executed this year between January and July in Saudi Arabia, more than for the whole of 2020.</p>.<p>A total of nearly 70 people have been executed this year in the kingdom, according to an <em>AFP </em>tally based on official statements.</p>.<p>Saudi Arabia put 184 people to death in 2019, according to Amnesty, which has said it was the highest number recorded in a single year in the country.</p>.<p>Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia's state-run Human Rights Commission said it had documented 27 executions in 2020.</p>.<p>Last year, the HRC also announced that Saudi Arabia was abolishing court-ordered floggings, in a reform move welcomed by rights campaigners.</p>.<p>In November, Saudi Arabia released a man who was arrested as a minor in 2012 after nine years in prison for participating in anti-government protests.</p>.<p>Activists, however, are sceptical that reforms will extend to the release of political prisoners, a pause on a sweeping crackdown on dissent or an end to executions.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>