UK condemns ‘abhorrent’ torture of death row inmate in Saudi Arabia

Hussein Abo al-Kheir is on death row in Saudi Arabia for drug offences; he has said he only confessed under torture. Photograph: European Saudi organisation for human rights

The British government has condemned as “abhorrent” what it said was the clear torture of a Jordanian national on death row in Saudi Arabia for drug offences, and demanded an end to a sudden spate of executions in the Gulf monarchy.

It was the first time the British government has made the allegation.