The Ethiopian government has been making numerous efforts to repatriate citizens who are in dire situations in Saudi Arabia and past efforts have been successful in making sure returning thousands of Ethiopians home.
However, many victims are still telling various media outlets about deaths, inhumane treatments, and serious human rights abuses they are suffering in Saudi Arabia prisons. According to a report by Al-Ain Amharic on January 3, 2022, up to 500 people were tortured in one cell and the refugees were also reported to have said that “cells were open only when a prisoner dies”. Al-Ain cited the refugees and reported that children have died of disease and starvation, citizens are suffering from lack of food, clothing, and water, and illness in prison. In addition, on March 1/2021 Human Rights Watch had reported a mass arrest of refugees who fled from Yemen to Saudi. Similarly, on August 27.2021 Addis Standard magazine has interviewed victims and reported that the Saudi government has arrested and detained Ethiopians with and without a residence permit and those who had not committed any crime.
On the other hand, human rights defender organizations and NGOs like Human Rights Watch and International Organization for Migration (IOM) have been urging the Saudi government and the international community about the plight of these refugees but the treatment of the refugees has not improved.
Therefore, along with dealing with other current issues, the government should intensify the process of repatriation and focus on rescuing its citizens from death and suffering. In addition, we would like to urge the government and other concerned parties to discuss the betterment and humane treatment of citizens and to strengthen the process of resettlement in the country. Finally, we urge all human rights organizations and media to be the voice of Ethiopians who are subjected to human rights abuses and urge the Saudi Government to abide by the United Nations Human Rights Charter and other international laws and respect the rights of refugees and Prisoners.