A number of world leaders will gather in Saudi Arabia to offer their condolences to the Saudi royal family.

King Abdullah (90) died on Thursday evening after almost two decades leading the world's biggest oil exporter.

He has been succeeded by his half-brother, Salman (79).

World leaders have praised the former King's legacy, but critics say his human rights record is nothing to be proud of.

Some politicians and human rights campaigners have slammed the tributes to Abdullah who presided over a country where a woman was recently beheaded in public, a blogger was sentenced to receive 1,000 lashes for 'insulting Islam' and where women have been banned from driving.

The head of Amnesty International implored the world not to forget the country's human rights abuses amidst the tributes to the dead king.

Salil Shetty said: "The Saudi regime seems insensitive to human rights and human dignity and unfortunately they are also protected by many Western countries because they have oil and because they are seen as allies in the fight against terrorism."

King Abdullah had run the country as de facto leader since the mid-1990s after his predecessor - King Fahd - suffered a debilitating stroke.

He was admitted to hospital on December 31st suffering pneumonia and the royal court announced that he was breathing with the aid of a tube.

Abdel Bari Atwan, who is the editor of an Arabic newspaper, says the relationship with the west is crucial.