Saudi Arabia Faces Backlash Over Executions of African Migrants

Saudi Arabia Faces Backlash Over Executions of African Migrants
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Saudi Arabia is facing mounting criticism from international human rights organizations following reports that the kingdom has carried out a new wave of executions targeting detainees from African countries, including Ethiopia and Somalia. The move has fueled concerns about the lack of fair trials and judicial safeguards.

According to testimonies from inside Najran Prison, near the Yemeni border, around 50 inmates of African origin have reportedly been informed that their death sentences for drug trafficking offenses — a capital crime in Saudi Arabia — will soon be carried out. One prisoner described being told to say their goodbyes and that executions would begin after Eid al-Adha, a process which has now reportedly started.

Human rights groups say that at least six executions took place in May alone. Amnesty International reported that Saudi authorities carried out 52 executions for drug-related offenses between January and April 2025. Duaa Dhainy, a researcher at the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights, said the kingdom has recently broadened its use of the death penalty to include cases involving cannabis possession, calling it a troubling escalation. She also noted a growing number of foreigners executed for similar charges this year amid what she described as a clear absence of fair trial guarantees.

Saudi Arabia remains among the world’s leading executioners, with more than 300 people put to death in 2024 alone, according to rights groups. International organizations continue to call on the kingdom to halt these executions, especially in cases involving migrant workers and where judicial processes are opaque and detainees’ legal protections remain unclear.