Ethiopian death row inmates desperate to escape execution in Saudi Arabia call the BBC

What Happened

At least 17 Ethiopians have been executed in Saudi Arabia in the first seven months of 2024, according to rights groups, with five executions carried out on a single Monday. Up to 200 Ethiopian nationals, mostly from the Tigray region, are on death row in a prison in Khamis Mushait, convicted of drug-smuggling—primarily khat or hashish. Seven prisoners contacted the BBC Tigrinya service, alleging they were denied legal representation, forced to sign Arabic-language confessions they did not understand, and tried in mass proceedings lacking due process. Two years prior, only two Ethiopians were executed; 35 were put to death in 2025, suggesting a sharp rise in capital punishment for drug-related crimes. The Saudi government issues statements after each execution citing an investigation, trial, appeal, Supreme Court review, and royal decree, but has not responded to specific allegations of unfairness.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The executions highlight a humanitarian aftershock of the 2020–2022 Tigray War, which devastated the region and pushed many to undertake dangerous migration routes through Djibouti and Yemen. Saudi Arabia's growing use of the death penalty for drug offenses, combined with reported due-process violations, risks further straining its international standing and Ethiopia's capacity to protect its nationals. The case may also test Ethiopia–Saudi bilateral relations and the effectiveness of the Pretoria Agreement's implementation, if TPLF-led Tigray officials lobby for intervention.

Watch For

Monitor for Ethiopian federal or Tigray Interim Administration diplomatic outreach to Saudi Arabia, any commutation of sentences following clemency campaigns, and upcoming execution dates. Watch statements from the African Union, EU, and US—as Pretoria deal monitors—on whether they address the regime's consequences for Tigrayan civilians. Track Saudi judicial reports on foreign-national executions and any legal appeals filed by rights groups.