Muqdisho, Soomaaliya : Somalia’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hassan Macallin Mohamud, has expressed concern over the fate of Somali prisoners detained in Saudi Arabia, some of whom face imminent execution.

Responding to questions about the government’s efforts to address the situation of Somali prisoners—particularly those on death row—the Minister acknowledged that resolving the issue would not be easy. He emphasized that Saudi Arabia is an independent country with its own legal system, and that Somalia lacks a formal bilateral agreement with the Saudi government regarding prisoner repatriation or clemency.

“Saudi Arabia is a sovereign nation, just like Turkey and other countries. The only way forward is to establish a formal cooperation agreement,” Minister Hassan Macallin stated.

The Minister added that the Somali government is actively working towards securing a legal framework for prisoner exchange and clemency discussions. However, until such an agreement is reached, Somalia has limited ability to intervene in Saudi judicial matters.

“We are working towards finalizing this agreement, and initial discussions have already begun. The process is progressing positively,” he added.

Saudi Arabia’s Execution Record

The Minister’s remarks follow Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Somali national on February 16, one of 45 Somali prisoners sentenced to death for drug trafficking.

Somalia’s Ministry of Justice previously stated that it has been in negotiations with international human rights organizations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to seek humanitarian assistance and legal support for Somali prisoners.

According to a report from Saudi Arabia’s official news agency, the kingdom carried out 338 executions in 2024, including 117 related to drug offenses.