Over 200 Ethiopians Face Execution in Saudi Arabia as Catholic Bishop Calls for Urgent International Intervention
A growing international outcry has emerged following reports that more than 200 Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia are facing imminent execution, prompting renewed calls for mercy, diplomatic intervention, and global action against the death penalty.
According to reports published by the Addis Standard, citing the Tigray Youth Office, many of the Ethiopians currently on death row are believed to be young migrants who traveled to Saudi Arabia in search of better living conditions after fleeing conflict and hardship in their homeland.
The alarming development has drawn strong condemnation from religious leaders and human rights advocates, including Tesfaselassie Medhin, Bishop of the Catholic Eparchy of Adigrat in Ethiopia, who has issued a passionate appeal to international organizations and humanitarian agencies to intervene urgently and help save the lives of the prisoners.
Human Rights Watch has reportedly confirmed that at least 65 Ethiopian migrants convicted of drug-related offenses are currently being held at Khamis Mushait prison in Saudi Arabia, although the organization noted it could not independently verify the full figure of 200 prisoners reportedly facing execution.
Reports also indicate that three executions linked to similar charges were already carried out on April 21, heightening fears among families and advocacy groups that more executions could occur in the coming days.
Many of the detainees are believed to have fled the devastating conflict in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, which erupted between 2020 and 2022 and displaced thousands of people. Sources familiar with the situation revealed that several of the accused migrants escaped through the dangerous “eastern migration route,” traveling through Djibouti and Yemen before eventually reaching Saudi Arabia in search of work and safety.
The migrants were reportedly arrested between 2023 and 2024 in Saudi Arabia’s Abha region, where they had been working. Authorities allegedly found them in possession of khat, a stimulant plant commonly used in parts of East Africa but strictly prohibited under Saudi Arabia’s harsh anti-drug laws.
In his emotional statement issued on May 5, Bishop Medhin emphasized the sacredness of human life and urged the international community to act swiftly before it is too late.
“As the Shepherd of the Catholic Eparchy of Adigrat, I lift my voice not only as a religious leader, but as a witness to the profound value of every human soul,” the bishop stated, stressing that every human being deserves dignity, protection, and the opportunity for redemption regardless of their offenses.
While acknowledging the sovereignty of nations and the importance of law enforcement, the bishop insisted that justice should always be balanced with mercy. He warned that executing over 200 Ethiopians would inflict irreversible pain on already struggling families back home, many of whom continue to suffer from poverty, displacement, and the aftermath of war.
Bishop Medhin therefore called on international organizations to begin immediate high-level discussions with Saudi authorities in an effort to halt the executions and seek alternatives to capital punishment, including rehabilitation and reconciliation. “These people are children, parents, and siblings,” he emphasized. “Their lives have intrinsic value that transcends any wrongdoing.”
The issue has also reignited global debate over the use of the death penalty, particularly in cases involving migrants and vulnerable refugees.
Read also Pope Leo XIV Condemns War, Says God Rejects Prayers of Leaders With “Blood on Their Hands”
Earlier this year, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s strong opposition to capital punishment during a message commemorating the abolition of the death penalty in Illinois in the United States.
The Pope declared that society can uphold justice and protect the common good without resorting to executions, insisting that every human life remains sacred and worthy of protection from conception until natural death.
Referencing the revised teaching of the Catholic Church approved by Pope Francis in 2018, Pope Leo reiterated that the death penalty is “inadmissible” because it attacks the dignity and inviolability of the human person, even after serious crimes have been committed.
He further stressed that every offender still possesses the possibility of repentance, transformation, and redemption.
As pressure mounts internationally, humanitarian groups, religious leaders, and families of the detainees continue to appeal for compassion and diplomatic engagement to prevent what many describe as a looming humanitarian tragedy.
