Riyadh, June 26 -- Saudi Arabia has carried out nearly 100 executions so far this year, Amnesty International said, urging the Kingdom to immediately halt executions as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty.

The rights organisation said Saudi authorities executed 96 people between January 1 and June 22, including 61 for drug-related offences. Among them were 39 foreign nationals and 22 Saudi citizens.

Amnesty raises concerns

Dana Ahmed, Middle East Researcher at Amnesty International, described the execution tally as a "grim milestone", saying Saudi Arabia continues to use the death penalty for drug-related offences despite international standards limiting capital punishment to the "most serious crimes".

She said governmen...