Saudi Arabia at UN says executions followed ‘fair trials’

Uruguay’s U.N. Ambassador Elbio Rosselli, current president of the Security Council, speaks during a news conference following a closed meeting of the council on Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, at U.N. headquarters. AP Photo

UNITED NATIONS, United States—Saudi Arabia’s mission to the United Nations on Monday defended the execution of 47 men including a prominent Shiite cleric that outraged Iran, saying all of the accused had been granted fair trials.

READ: Saudi beheadings soar in 2015 under discretionary rulings

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia reiterates that all convicted persons were granted fair and just trials without any consideration to their intellectual, racial or sectarian affiliation and that the final rulings against them was reached based on their own criminal and illegal actions,” said a statement from the Saudi mission.

Riyadh expressed “deep regret” over a statement from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who said he was “deeply dismayed” by the executions.

READ: UN rights chief slams Saudi mass execution

Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic ties with Iran on Sunday after protesters ransacked and set fire to the Saudi Embassy in Tehran over the execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.