Monday, June 25, 2025 – HAN
Riyadh – Saudi authorities have executed three Somali men convicted of drug smuggling and trafficking, according to a statement issued by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior on Wednesday.
The individuals — Ershad Ali Muse Arale, Ziyad Fariq Jama Omar, and Ibrahim Abdi Warsame Jama — were all Somali citizens. The executions were carried out in Najran, a southern province of Saudi Arabia, on June 25, corresponding to 29 Dhul-Hijjah 1446H in the Islamic calendar.
The ministry said the men were arrested during anti-narcotics operations and were sentenced to death following investigations and court proceedings. They were part of a larger group of 45 Somali nationals who had previously been sentenced to death for drug-related crimes in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has some of the world’s strictest anti-drug laws. Drug trafficking — particularly smuggling — is considered a capital offense, often punished by public execution.
Despite ongoing international criticism from human rights organizations over the Kingdom’s use of the death penalty, Saudi authorities maintain their stance. The Ministry of Interior reaffirmed its commitment to combating drug crimes and warned that anyone found guilty of smuggling narcotics into the country would face severe consequences under Saudi law.
