The Saudi Ministry of Defense announced today, Thursday, the execution of two of its members who were convicted of treason in the Taif region (southwest) of the Kingdom.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense stated in a press statement reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) today, that "both (Lieutenant Colonel Pilot/Rakan Majid bin Mousa Awad Al-Balawi and Chief Warrant Officer/Yusuf bin Redha Hassan Al-Azuni) from the Ministry of Defense in their military capacity committed a number of major military crimes."

The ministry added in its statement, "After their arrest on August 24 and 25, 2017, the investigation with the first resulted in his conviction for committing the crime of military treason and failing to maintain the interests of the homeland and the honor of military service, while the investigation with the second resulted in his conviction for committing crimes of treason in its three forms (major, national, and military) and failing to maintain the interests of the homeland and the honor of military service."

The statement announced: "After referring them to the competent court and providing all the judicial guarantees available to them, they admitted to the charges attributed to them, and sentences were issued confirming their conviction for the charges against them, sentencing them to death in accordance with the legal and regulatory provisions, and the procedures for reviewing the rulings were completed, and they were ratified, and the royal order was issued to enforce what was determined against them."