Yemen on Monday sentenced to death a Yemeni accused of killing a Frenchman, and handed down a 10-year jail sentence in absentia to radical US-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaqi.

Hisham Mohammed Assem, who was given the death penalty by a Sanaa criminal court after being convicted of killing French energy contractor Jacques Spagnolo near Sanaa in October, said in court he will appeal the verdict.

The same court sentenced Awlaqi to 10 years in prison for taking part in an armed group and incitement to kill foreigners. His relative, Othman al-Awlaqi, was sentenced to eight years on the same charges. Both are on the run and were sentenced in absentia.