FILE PHOTO: A drone view shows cityscape in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - December 1, 2024 REUTERS/Mohammed Benmansour/File Photo
RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia executed 330 people this year, the highest number in decades, despite de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman's 2022 assertion that the death penalty had been eliminated except for murder cases under his vision for a new open kingdom.
The country is spending billions to transform its reputation for strict religious restrictions and human rights abuses into that of a tourism and entertainment hub under the Vision 2030 plan launched by the crown prince, who is also known as MbS.
