RIYADH, June 25, 2025 – Saudi Arabia on Wednesday executed three Somali nationals convicted of smuggling and trafficking the illegal drug hashish, according to a statement released by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Interior.
The executed individuals were identified as:
-
Ershad Ali Muse Arale,
-
Ziyad Fariq Jama Omar, and
-
Ibrahim Abdi Warsame Jama — all Somali citizens.
The execution was carried out in the southern province of Najran on Wednesday, corresponding to 29 Dhul-Hijjah 1446H in the Islamic calendar.
According to the official statement, the men were arrested by Saudi security forces during anti-drug operations and later sentenced to death by the Kingdom’s courts following thorough investigations and legal proceedings.
The three were among a group of 45 Somali nationals who had previously received death sentences in Saudi Arabia for smuggling narcotics into the country, the ministry added.
Saudi Arabia enforces one of the world’s strictest anti-drug laws. Drug trafficking, particularly involving smuggling into the Kingdom, is punishable by death, typically by public beheading.
The government has carried out numerous executions over the years for similar offenses, despite criticism from international human rights groups.
The Ministry of Interior reiterated its commitment to combating drug trafficking and warned that anyone found guilty of bringing narcotics into the country would face the full weight of the law.
