Riyadh, Oct. 16 : A Saudi was beheaded by the sword on Thursday for murdering an Indian man

Fatin bin Fallaj al-Shibani al-Otaybi was found guilty of stabbing the victim to death and stealing his belongings, the Interior Ministry here said in a statement carried by SPA state news agency.

This brings to 78 the number of people executed by the Saudi Arabian Government this year.

On Tuesday, Amnesty International charged that poor migrants were bearing the brunt of a surge in executions in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

The human rights watchdog complained that authorities in Riyadh continue to execute people at an average of more than two a week.

Last year, a record 153 people were executed in Saudi Arabia, a country that strictly applies the Sharia, or Islamic law.

This figure compared with 37 in 2006 and the previous record of 113 in 2000.

Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking, all carry the death penalty in the ultra-conservative country.

Executions are usually carried out in public. (ANI)