Saudi Arabia executes two soldiers for ‘treason’

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia executed two soldiers, including a pilot, on Thursday after they were convicted of “military treason”, the defence ministry said, without providing further detail on the charges.

The defence ministry, quoted by the state news agency SPA, named the two soldiers as Pilot Colonel Majid bin Moussa al-Balawi and Chief Sergeant Youssef bin Reda al-Azouzi. They were arrested in September 2017 and investigations resulted in “the first being convicted of committing military treason and failing to safeguard the nation´s interests and the honour of military service,” it said.

The second was convicted of committing “high, national and military treason”, in addition to the other charges, the ministry said, without providing further details. The two were executed in the western city of Taif.