Kuwait hangs three in first executions since 2007

The men, a Pakistani, a Saudi and a stateless bidoon, were hanged at the central jail, west of Kuwait City, in front of judicial and security officials, the ministry said.

Powered by automated translation

KUWAIT CITY // Authorities in Kuwait have hanged three convicted murderers today in the first executions since May 2007, the ministry of justice said.

The men, a Pakistani, a Saudi and a stateless bidoon, were hanged at the central jail, west of the capital Kuwait City, in front of judicial and security officials, the ministry said.

The Pakistani was convicted of killing a Kuwaiti couple and the Saudi of murdering a compatriot.

The Kuwaiti bidoon was hanged for killing his wife and five children after claiming he was the long-awaited twelfth imam.

Shiites rever Islam's twelfth imam, Mohammed Al Mahdi, who disappeared from earth in the tenth century and is said to be due to return to save mankind.

Kuwait had stopped executing prisoners sentenced to death without providing an explanation.

The local Al Sabas daily reported that at least another 44 people are on death row.

They include two members of the Kuwaiti Royal family convicted over drugs trafficking and murder, and a woman who set a wedding tent ablaze in 2009 killing 57 people.

Kuwait has executed a total of 69 men and three foreign women since it introduced the death penalty in mid-1960. Most of those condemned have been convicted murderers or drug traffickers.