ISIS Beheadings and Saudi Executions Are ‘Different,’ Official Says

A high-ranking Saudi official said there’s a difference between beheadings carried out by Islamic State, or ISIS, militants and Saudi Arabia’s executions.

A Saudi man passes the al-Faisaliya tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2015. President Barack Obama defended the U.S. government's willingness to cooperate closely with Saudi Arabia on national security despite deep concerns over human rights abuses, as he led an array of current and former American statesmen in paying respects Tuesday following the death of King Abdullah. AP Photo/Hasan Jamali

A high-ranking Saudi official said there’s a difference between the beheadings carried out by Islamic State, or ISIS, militants and Saudi Arabia’s executions.

Human rights groups have criticized Saudi Arabia over its use of the death penalty, floggings, and other forms of punishment over the years. Amnesty International points out that only the Chinese regime—which doesn’t release statistics on its executions—Iran, and Iraq surpassed Saudi Arabia. The oil-rich kingdom killed 79 people in 2013.

Over the weekend, ISIS said it beheaded Japanese journalist Kenji Goto, posting a video online of the purported execution. The terrorist group has also beheaded several Westerners in an attempt to intimidate Western governments.

READ MORE

• ISIS Bombs 2,700-Year-Old Assyrian Walls of Nineveh in Iraq: Report