Church of England Bishops Urge Saudi Crown Prince to Halt Executions of Ethiopian Nationals
In a direct appeal to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, three bishops from the Church of England have called for the cessation of executions involving Ethiopian nationals. This plea highlights growing concerns about the treatment of Ethiopian prisoners, most of whom are said to be Ethiopian Orthodox Christians.
Dr. Guli Francis-Dehqani, the Bishop of Chelmsford, along with the Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, and the Bishop of Winchester, Philip Mounstephen, have formally requested a halt to the executions at Khamis Mushait Prison. They emphasize the potential religious discrimination that could endanger the prisoners further.
The bishops’ letter, also sent to Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and the Saudi and Ethiopian ambassadors to the UK, called for the death sentences to be commuted and for an independent review of the prisoners’ convictions.
Reports indicate that at least 58 Ethiopian nationals are facing capital punishment in Saudi Arabia for drug-related offenses. The bishops argue that many of these individuals were coerced into smuggling activities due to conflict and instability in their home country.
“The circumstances of their arrests strongly indicate that many were victims of trafficking or criminal exploitation, coerced into transporting goods across the Saudi-Yemeni border without full knowledge of their contents,” the bishops noted in their letter.
Concerns extend to alleged mistreatment within the legal process, with claims that prisoners lacked proper legal representation, suffered torture, and were forced to sign incomprehensible documents. Additionally, some prisoners reportedly faced physical assault by police after religious symbols were found on them.
Within the prison, expressions of Christian faith are reportedly suppressed. “The open expression of Christian belief has reportedly been discouraged or prohibited within the prison, and prisoners have been expected not to display Christian religious symbols or make reference to their faith in court. This treatment is deeply troubling,” the bishops wrote.
These actions, they argue, contradict the Crown Prince’s previous commitment to fostering interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance. The bishops expressed grave concern over the execution of five Ethiopian prisoners on June 23, despite assurances of a review.
Disturbingly, reports suggest that some prisoners were misled about being taken for court hearings, only to be executed shortly thereafter. Families were left uninformed about the executions and the final resting place of their loved ones, with fellow prisoners tasked with notifying them.
Since the bishops’ appeal, Human Rights Watch reported the execution of an additional five Ethiopian migrants on July 27 for similar charges. The organization states that at least 17 Ethiopians have been executed for drug offenses since early 2026, with 79 others at imminent risk.
While acknowledging Saudi Arabia’s judicial sovereignty, the bishops insist they must speak out: “We do not write to lecture, but to appeal,” they stated. “We ask Your Royal Highness to act now to prevent further irreversible harm.”
Saudi authorities maintain that the executed individuals were lawfully convicted of drug smuggling. Nonetheless, the United Nations has consistently argued that drug-related offenses do not justify capital punishment.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office reiterated the UK’s stance: “The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and in all circumstances. Saudi Arabia is well aware of the UK’s opposition to the death penalty. We raise our concerns about the penalty with the Saudi authorities using a range of diplomatic channels.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
