Thursday February 20, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) – Families of Somali citizens sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia staged a protest in Mogadishu on Wednesday, calling on the Somali government to intervene on behalf of their imprisoned relatives.
According to the protesters, 45 Somali nationals are currently on death row in Saudi prisons, and they are urging the government to negotiate with Saudi authorities to halt the executions and ensure legal representation for the detainees.
One of the demonstrators, addressing Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, pleaded for immediate action. “Mr. President, please release our sons. They are being held in blatant injustice,” a relative said.
Another protester, Mohamud Ahmed, expressed frustration over the lack of communication and legal support for those detained. “We have had no contact with our children in prison. They have not received any legal assistance or support. They did not commit the crimes they are accused of,” he said.
The protest comes days after Saudi authorities executed a Somali national, Mohamed Nur Hussein Ja’al, who was convicted of drug smuggling. Hussein was arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle hashish into Saudi Arabia and was beheaded in accordance with the kingdom’s execution practices.
Hussein had lived in Yemen for over a decade before moving to Saudi Arabia, where he was later arrested. Throughout his imprisonment, he remained in regular contact with his family, assuring them that he would eventually be released.
His family, however, accused Saudi authorities of carrying out an unjust execution, claiming he did not receive a fair trial. They allege that Hussein was denied due process, had limited access to legal representation, and was deprived of the opportunity to appeal his sentence.
Somali Consul Ahmed Mahmoud Diriye (Macaruuf) told the BBC that his office had identified between 45 and 50 Somali detainees, most of whom were arrested near the Saudi-Yemen border.
Several human rights organizations have raised concerns over the circumstances of these arrests, stating that many detainees were coerced or deceived into smuggling illicit substances under duress or false job offers.
The families are now urging the Somali government to take diplomatic action to prevent further executions and ensure a fair legal process for the detainees.
