# Saudi Arabia executes Ethiopians, death‑row crisis > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/saudi-arabia-drug-related-executions > Updated: 2026-08-02T11:15:00.000Z. Sources: 19. Developments: 6. After Saudi Arabia lifted a three‑year moratorium on capital punishment in June 2026, dozens of Ethiopians have been sentenced to death for drug‑related offences. By late July, at least 17 Ethiopian nationals had been executed, and rights groups reported that many more remain on death row in Khamis Mushait prison, often without legal representation or translation. In early August, Human Rights Watch documented deplorable conditions for Ethiopian migrants on death row at the Khamis Mushait detention centre in Asir province. Prisoners said guards routinely select inmates for execution; a recent episode saw five men removed from their cells and executed the following morning. Inmates such as 27‑year‑old Berhane Hagos expressed hopelessness, while a fellow detainee recounted the last words of his cell‑mate Teklay Negash to his family. Families of the detainees, many who travelled through Yemen from Tigray, describe severe emotional distress. The report highlights broader concerns about the use of the death penalty on migrant workers and the opacity of Saudi Arabia’s criminal‑justice system. ## Claims - Seventeen Ethiopian nationals were executed in Saudi Arabia in the first seven months of the year, with five executed on a single Monday. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Dozens, possibly up to 200, Ethiopian prisoners are on death row in Khamis Mushait prison awaiting execution. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Ethiopian prisoners have called the BBC from their cells to describe their situation. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Human‑rights groups (Reprieve, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International) say due‑process guarantees are lacking for the Ethiopian death‑row prisoners. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The Saudi Interior Ministry announced the execution of five Ethiopian nationals for hashish smuggling in the Asir region. (single source) - Bishops in the United Kingdom have petitioned Ed Miliband to intervene on behalf of Christian detainees in Saudi Arabia. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-02: Ethiopian migrants on death row face harsh conditions in Saudi detention centre Dozens of Ethiopian migrants on death row endure harsh conditions at Saudi Arabia’s Khamis Mushait detention centre, with recent executions and families reporting severe distress, per Human Rights Watch. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ethiopian-migrants-on-death-row-face-harsh-conditions-in-saudi-detention-centre ### 2026-07-31: Saudi Arabia Carries Out Executions of Five Ethiopian Drug Smugglers Saudi Arabia executed five Ethiopian hashish smugglers after court and royal approval; dozens more Ethiopians await death in Khamis Mushait prison, prompting human‑rights criticism and UK appeals. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/saudi-arabia-executes-five-ethiopians-for-drug-smuggling ### 2026-07-28: Saudi Arabia Executes Five Ethiopian Migrants Over Drug Charges Saudi Arabia executed five Ethiopian migrants for hashish possession after brief, translation‑less trials, raising concerns from Human Rights Watch about dozens more facing imminent death. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/saudi-arabia-executes-five-ethiopian-migrants-over-drug-charges ### 2026-07-13: Ethiopian migrants face death‑row sentences in Saudi Arabia Around 60 Ethiopian migrants are on Saudi death row for drug offenses amid claims of unfair trials and calls for international pressure. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ethiopian-migrants-face-deathrow-sentences-in-saudi-arabia ### 2026-06-30: Saudi Arabia executes Ethiopian and Somali migrants for drug offenses Saudi Arabia carried out executions of four Ethiopians and three Somalis for drug offenses in June 2026, part of a wave of nearly 100 death sentences that year, prompting Amnesty International criticism and an 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/saudi-arabia-executes-ethiopian-and-somali-migrants-for-drug-offenses ### 2026-06-23: Saudi Arabia hits 100 executions this year, most tied to drug offenses Saudi Arabia has carried out 100 executions this year, 65 for drug offenses and 52 involving foreigners, prompting Amnesty International criticism over unfair trials. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/saudi-arabia-hits-100-executions-this-year-most-tied-to-drug-offenses --- Cite as: Saudi Arabia executes Ethiopians, death‑row crisis. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/saudi-arabia-drug-related-executions