Officials said the executions were not done in public. Saudi cleric Grand Mufti in justifying the executions cited Saudi Arabia's interpretation of  and said the executions prevented the accused from committing further crime, calling it a form of "mercy". thumbnail|File photo of , in  , Saudi Arabia, where public executions are carried out under Sharia Law; Saudi officials said the 47 people executed were not executed publicly, but rather within prisons. Some of those executed were reportedly  militants behind terrorist attacks. Before the executions, an Al-Qaeda branch from  threatened Saudi authorities with violence if they executed their members. Among those executed was a  cleric who criticized both the and that of ; he condemned  's suppression of protests with Saudi aid. He reportedly avoided advocating violence. He was convicted of causing violence against authorities, and a Saudi court rejected his appeal of his conviction this past year. His execution led to condemnation from Iranian officials, who had previously said it "would cost Saudi Arabia dearly". When news broke the 47 were to be executed, in November, regional  director James Lynch said Saudi Arabia was settling "political scores" under "the guise of counter-terrorism."
Officials said the executions were not done in public. Saudi cleric in justifying the executions cited Saudi Arabia's interpretation of Sharia Law and said the executions prevented the accused from committing further crime, calling it a form of "mercy". thumbnail|File photo of , in Riyadh , Saudi Arabia, where public executions are carried out under Sharia Law; Saudi officials said the 47 people executed were not executed publicly, but rather within prisons. Some of those executed were reportedly Al-Qaeda militants behind terrorist attacks. Before the executions, an Al-Qaeda branch from Yemen threatened Saudi authorities with violence if they executed their members. Among those executed was a Shi'a Muslim cleric who criticized both the and that of ; he condemned Bahrain 's suppression of protests with Saudi aid. He reportedly avoided advocating violence. He was convicted of causing violence against authorities, and a Saudi court rejected his appeal of his conviction this past year. His execution led to condemnation from Iranian officials, who had previously said it "would cost Saudi Arabia dearly". When news broke the 47 were to be executed, in November, regional Amnesty International director James Lynch said Saudi Arabia was settling "political scores" under "the guise of counter-terrorism."
D
Grand Mufti
A
Sharia Law
A
Riyadh
A
Al-Qaeda
A
Yemen
A
Shi'a Muslim
A
Bahrain
A
Amnesty International