Saudi Arabia has ended the death penalty for crimes committed by minors after effectively abolishing floggings, as the kingdom seeks to blunt criticism over its human rights record.

The death penalty was eliminated for those convicted of crimes committed while they were minors, Human Rights Commission president Awwad Alawwad said in a statement, citing a royal decree: “Instead, the individual will receive a prison sentence of no longer than 10 years in a juvenile detention facility”.

The decree is expected to spare the lives of at least six men from the minority Shia community who are on death row. They were accused of taking part in anti-government protests during the Arab Spring uprisings while they were under the age of 18.

United Nations human rights experts made an urgent appeal to Saudi Arabia last year to halt plans to execute them.