Up To 200 Ethiopians Face Imminent Execution In Saudi Arabia As Death Row Numbers Surge
ADDIS ABABA / RIYADH – As many as 200 Ethiopian nationals are currently held inside Saudi Arabian detention facilities awaiting the execution of death sentences, highlighting a sharp escalation in capital punishment cases involving foreign migrants in the Kingdom.
According to testimonies obtained by the BBC Tigrinya service, several death-row inmates managed to establish contact from inside Saudi prisons to raise international awareness about their condition. In total, journalists spoke directly with seven Ethiopian detainees who confirmed that dozens of their compatriots are facing imminent execution.
The reported figures mark a dramatic surge in capital punishment cases targeting Ethiopian citizens. According to data tracked by Amnesty International, two Ethiopian nationals were executed in Saudi Arabia in 2024. That figure rose sharply to 35 recorded executions in 2025, with human rights organizations now warning that up to 200 more individuals remain on death row across Saudi correctional facilities.
Rights groups and international observers have repeatedly raised concerns regarding legal representation, translation access, and trial transparency for migrant workers navigating the Saudi judicial system.
The steep increase in severe sentences has triggered renewed calls from civil society groups and regional human rights advocates for diplomatic intervention and formal legal assistance for Ethiopian nationals facing execution abroad.
