The U.S. State Department says it welcomes the announcement that Saudi Arabia will head a U.N. Human Rights Council panel. The news comes amid a growing international outcry over the scheduled beheading and crucifixion of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, who was arrested at the age of 17 and convicted of encouraging pro-democracy protests in 2012 during the Arab Spring. Al-Nimr is the nephew of a prominent cleric, Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, who has also received a death sentence following pro-democracy protests. U.S. State Department spokesperson Mark Toner was questioned about al-Nimr Tuesday.

Reporter: “Yesterday Saudi Arabia was named to head the Human Rights Council, and today I think they announced that they are about to behead a 21-year-old Shia activist named Mohammed al-Nimr. Are you aware of that?”

Mark Toner: “I’m not aware of the — of the trial that you — or the verdict, death sentence.”

Reporter: “Well, apparently, he was arrested when was 17 years old and kept in juvenile detention, then moved on. And now he’s been scheduled to be executed.”

Mark Toner: “Right. I mean, we’ve — you know, we’ve talked about our concerns about some of the capital punishment cases in Saudi Arabia in our human rights report, but I don’t have any more to add to it.”

Mark Toner went on to say the United States would “welcome” Saudi Arabia’s position on the panel because “we’re close allies.” Saudi Arabia has executed more than 100 people already this year, mostly by beheading.