For the first time in the last four decades, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday executed a member of the royal family after he was found guilty on charges of murder.
The execution was done after he was convicted of shooting another Saudi man to death during a brawl.
According to Interior Ministry, prince Turki bin Saud al-Kabir was put to death in the capital Riyadh for killing Adel al-Mahemid.
“Authorities were able to arrest the above-mentioned offender. After the investigations, they charged him of committing the crime and his indictment was sent to the court. He was charged with what was attributed to him and sentenced to death as retribution," the Ministry said in its statement.
The prince was found guilty in a Saudi court three years ago.
The Ministry, however, refused to divulge the detail the method used to execute the prince. Most death penalties in Saudi are carried out by beheading in a public square.
“The government is keen to keep order, stabilise security and bring about justice through implementing the rules prescribed by Allah...,” the statement added.
Members of Saudi Arabia’s ruling family are only rarely known to have been executed. One of the most prominent cases was Faisal bin Musaid al Saud, who assassinated his uncle, King Faisal, in 1975.
Kabir was the 134th local or foreigner put to death this year.
