Saudi must halt imminent execution of 65 Ethiopians: HRW

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Riyadh: Dozens of Ethiopian migrants face the imminent risk of execution in Saudi Arabia for drug-related offences, Human Rights Watch has warned. Rights groups are calling for urgent international intervention after recent executions heightened fears for those remaining in detention.

Many of those sentenced are refugees who fled armed conflict to seek work, often travelling dangerous migration routes.

Reports indicate that these individuals frequently face trials lacking basic due process, including a lack of legal representation, missing translators, and allegations of coerced confessions.

The use of the death penalty for non-violent, non-lethal drug crimes has driven a significant surge in executions in recent years. International observers argue that these practices violate legal standards that limit capital punishment to only the most serious crimes.

The detention of migrants in these facilities has long been a point of concern. Advocacy organisations are now urging both the Ethiopian government and the international community to pressure Saudi authorities to commute these sentences and establish formal asylum procedures.