Saudi Arabia’s execution of five Ethiopian migrants on July 27, 2026 has renewed global scrutiny over the kingdom’s use of capital punishment for nonlethal drug offenses and the fairness of its judicial process. Human Rights Watch says the men were denied due process, while Saudi authorities say the executions were carried out after convictions for smuggling hashish.
Saudi Arabia’s Latest Executions
The five Ethiopian nationals were executed in Asir province, according to reports in local and international media. The Interior Ministry of Saudi Arabia explained that the men were executed in connection with the case of hashish trafficking and stated that the execution was meant as part of efforts to safeguard the country from drugs and imposing the harshest penalties possible under the law. Human Rights Watch, on the other hand, argued that the men were executed for nonviolent drug-related crimes and that the execution process failed to meet international due process standards.
Due Process Concerns
The heart of the HRW critique of these executions is the allegation that the men were deprived of basic fair trial rights. According to HRW, the five men spent more than three years at Khamis Mushait detention center, participated in only three very short trials lasting from three to twenty minutes each, had no legal representation, and did not receive sufficient interpretation. Furthermore, HRW reports that there was an interpreter available during only two of the trials, and that the men were forced to sign documents in Arabic language which they did not understand.
HRW’s Broader Stance
Human Rights Watch has framed the case as part of a wider execution surge in Saudi Arabia, especially involving foreign nationals and drug-related charges. The group says Saudi Arabia has executed at least 17 Ethiopian nationals since the start of 2026 on drug charges and that at least 79 more Ethiopian migrants were at imminent risk of execution before this latest incident.
The organization has repeatedly argued that drug offenses are not among the “most serious crimes” under international law, meaning they should not carry the death penalty. It has also called on Saudi authorities to commute death sentences, reinstate a moratorium on executions for drug offenses, and ensure retrials that meet fair-trial standards.
Death Penalty Pattern
The deaths are a pointer to the high number of death penalty cases recorded in the country in recent times. The HRW states that Saudi Arabia executed 345 people in 2024 and another 356 people in 2025, all records for death penalties since monitoring was started. Over 2,000 death penalties have been issued in Saudi Arabia since the ascendancy of King Salman to the throne in 2015 and Mohammed bin Salman to Crown Prince in 2017. Up to June 22, 2026, the country had already executed 96 people, 61 of whom were executed for drug offenses. The report also stated that most foreigners were executed for drug offenses and included Ethiopians, Pakistanis, Sudanese, Jordanians, and Syrians.
What Saudi Authorities Say
Saudi authorities present the executions as a lawful response to drug trafficking, not as arbitrary punishment. In the Interior Ministry’s account, the latest five Ethiopian men were convicted of smuggling hashish into the kingdom, and the ministry said such penalties are intended to deter drug networks and protect citizens and residents.
That official justification, however, is exactly what rights groups reject. HRW and allied organizations argue that Saudi Arabia’s courts often fail to provide defendants with translators, lawyers, or adequate consular access, especially for migrant workers and asylum seekers from poorer countries.
Why Ethiopians Are Vulnerable
The incident further highlights the plight of Ethiopian migrants who make their way through Yemen seeking work in Saudi Arabia. According to HRW, the five men hailed from the Tigray region and were fleeing conflict and misery prior to making it to Saudi Arabia, a place where many migrant workers have been known to suffer from exploitation, detention, and mysterious criminal proceedings. Further according to HRW, the five men were Christians, which was a factor that highlighted additional obstacles that they had to endure while being held in detention, such as interference with their religion.
Quote And Statement Context
The strongest criticism from HRW came from researcher Joey Shea, who said
“executing marginalized Ethiopian migrants after court hearings that sometimes barely last a few minutes without a lawyer or a translator”
shows how deeply flawed the process is.
HRW’s broader message is that
“the death penalty should be abolished”
and that the Saudi government should stop using it for drug offenses altogether. The group’s position is not limited to this single case; it is tied to what it sees as a structural problem in Saudi Arabia’s criminal justice system.
Wider International Concern
Concern over the issue of executions of drug criminals in Saudi Arabia had been mounting for many months before that tragic event. According to Human Rights Watch, in earlier parts of 2026, there was at least 65 Ethiopian migrants who were at imminent risk of execution in cases of crimes related to drugs and 3 Ethiopians were executed on April 21, 2026. There was information available from other sources that the total number of Ethiopians who had been executed during the last three months in Saudi Arabia increased to 17 after July 27 execution of those criminals.
Rights groups see this case as part of a wider problem where foreign nationals are being disproportionately affected by the death penalty in Saudi Arabia. Thus, this case is not just a story of five executions but about handling of foreigners, drug cases, translation issues, access to legal counsel, and the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
For Saudi authorities, the case is part of a hard-line anti-drug policy they argue is necessary for public security. The collision between these two positions is why the executions have drawn such intense criticism and why the story is likely to remain a major human rights issue in the months ahead.