Moreover, several employees of different nationalities, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines and Indonesia, have been killed in clashes with Saudi police over the past few weeks. Their deaths came due to a Riyadh plan to repatriate hundreds of illegal immigrants.

Muslim clerics have recently slammed Riyadh for indicting and then executing the workers without giving them a chance to defend themselves, describing the Saudi authorities as uncivilized.

Several rights organizations say Riyadh has failed on every count to live up to its promises to address the situation.