More than 200 Ethiopian migrants reportedly face imminent execution in Saudi Arabia, despite repeated pleas for mercy from a Catholic bishop close to the crisis.
Three Ethiopian men were executed on April 21, raising fears that many more executions soon will follow.
Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin of the Catholic Eparchy of Adigrat, Ethiopia, has appealed to international organizations to intervene, warning, “We cannot remain silent while the lives of so many hang in the balance.”
Vatican News spotlighted the bishop's appeal, and noted that Pope Leo has very reaffirmed the Church’s stance against capital punishment.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) could not directly verify the total number of prisoners but reported that at least 65 Ethiopian migrants convicted of drug-related offenses are being held at Khamis Mushait prison and that the total number facing execution most likely exceeds 200.
The reported crime
The imprisoned migrants came to Saudi Arabia as refugees from the brutal conflict that erupted in the Tigray region between 2020 and 2022. Thousands of Ethiopians have migrated to Saudi Arabia in recent years seeking work or fleeing conflict and economic hardship.
The migrants were accused of transporting khat, a shrub native to East Africa, whose leaves, when chewed, produce stimulant effects similar to amphetamines. The stimulant plant is commonly used in parts of East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula but prohibited under Saudi Arabia’s strict anti-drug laws.
In at least one case, HRW reported, a smuggler forced a man to carry the plant into Saudi Arabia as a condition of facilitating his journey. Their sources reported that none of the men knew that carrying khat into Saudi Arabia was illegal.
Nadia Hardman, senior refugee and migrant rights researcher at HRW, expressed grave concern over the entire process:
Saudi Arabia’s willingness to execute foreign migrants for nonviolent offences following trials that denied them basic due process reflects a profound disregard for their rights and lives. Saudi Arabia’s partners should urgently intervene before it is too late.
Bishop pleads for mercy
On May 5, Bishop Tesfaselassie Medhin of the Catholic Eparchy of Adigrat, Ethiopia, issued an appeal to international organizations and humanitarian agencies, urging them to defend the dignity and lives of the prisoners.
In a powerful statement, he said:
I lift my voice not only as a religious leader, but as a witness to the profound value of every human soul, created in the image and likeness of the Almighty…
While we respect the sovereignty of nations and the necessity of upholding the rule of law, we believe that justice is most powerful when it is tempered by mercy. The execution of these 200 individuals would represent an irreparable loss of life and an agonizing blow to the families left behind in Ethiopia, many of whom already endure the hardships of poverty and displacement…
The cry of the poor and the marginalized must reach the ears of the international community. These 200 Ethiopians are not merely a number; they are children, parents, and siblings.
While the religious beliefs of the imprisoned migrants are not known, Ethiopia is a Christian-majority nation, with Christians making up nearly two-thirds of its population, mostly Orthodox. The northern part of Ethiopia, particularly the Tigray region, is up to 96% Christian.
Saudi authorities have twice set a new record for the highest number of executions in one year since monitoring began, executing 345 people in 2024 and 356 in 2025. Executions of foreign nationals for nonlethal drug crimes drove this surge in 2025.
With the United States, Saudi Arabia is one of the nations with the highest number of reported executions globally (also including China and Iran.) Some countries, such as North Korea, do not report how many executions they undertake.
For many families in northern Ethiopia, already displaced by war, poverty, and instability, the threatened executions would be another devastating loss. Church leaders and human rights advocates are urging international intervention, hoping mercy may prevail before further executions take place.
