Saudi Arabia Curbs Death Penalty in Crawl to Soften Image

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—Saudi Arabia stated Monday it had imposed a moratorium on capital punishment for drug-linked offenses that ended in an 85% reduction in executions, because the conservative Muslim kingdom seeks to soften its image to scheme Western vacationers and foreign investment.

The advise-backed Human Rights Commission stated 27 executions were recorded in 2020. That’s down from 184 the year sooner than, in line with rights watchdog Amnesty Global, when Saudi Arabia trailed simplest China and Iran globally.

The cost declined to provide additional important solutions about the trade that had gone into attain final year.

The internal ministry didn’t directly respond to a quiz of for comment. Legit Saudi announcements point out no drug-linked executions since January 2020, in line with Contemporary York-based mostly completely Human Rights Bump into.

The tear comes as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appeals to Western vacationers and foreign merchants put off by Saudi Arabia’s reputation as a bastion of ultraconservative social norms enforced by non secular police. Beheadings and crucifixions were as soon as no longer fresh in public squares, including within the heart of Riyadh, the capital.