Adigrat Bishop Urges Global Intervention as 200 Ethiopians Await Execution in Saudi Arabia

TO:
➨ The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

➨ The International Organization for Migration (IOM)

➨ The European Union Special Representative for Human Rights

➨ The Holy See’s Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

➨ The African Union Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

➨ The Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Addis Abeba

➨ International Humanitarian Agencies and Global Human Rights Organizations

➨ and all entities entrusted with safeguarding human dignity.

May the grace and peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

SUBJECT: A Solemn Appeal for Mercy and the Sanctity of Life

Dear Brothers and Sisters in our shared humanity, Peace and blessings be upon you.

I write to you today with a heavy heart, burdened by the shadows of despair looming over two hundred of our Ethiopian sons and daughters currently facing the sentence of death in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As the Shepherd of the Catholic Eparchy of Adigrat, I lift my voice not only as a religious leader but as a witness to the profound value of every human soul, created in the image and likeness of the Almighty.

A Plea for Human Dignity

Our faith teaches us that life is a gift from the Creator sacred, inviolable, and deserving of protection from conception until its natural end. While we respect the sovereignty of nations and the necessity of upholding the rule of law, we believe that justice is most powerful when it is tempered by mercy.

The execution of these 200 individuals would represent an irreparable loss of life and an agonizing blow to the families left behind in Ethiopia, many of whom already endure the hardships of poverty and displacement.

The Call for Compassionate Intervention

We cannot remain silent while the lives of so many hang in the balance. We earnestly petition your esteemed organizations to:
➨ Exercise Diplomatic Mediation: Engage in urgent high-level dialogue with the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to seek a stay of execution and a commutation of these death sentences.

➨Advocate for Legal Review: Ensure that each of these individuals has been afforded the fullness of due process, including adequate legal representation and an understanding of the
proceedings against them.

➨ Champion Restorative Justice: Promote alternatives to capital punishment that allow for rehabilitation, repentance, and the possibility of redemption.

A Collective Responsibility

The cry of the poor and the marginalized must reach the ears of the international community. These 200 Ethiopians are not merely a number; they are children, parents, and siblings. Their lives have intrinsic worth that transcends any transgression.

We pray that the hearts of those in power may be moved by the spirit of compassion; and together, let us work to ensure that the “culture of death” is replaced by a “civilization of love” and mercy.

In this season of trial, we remain steadfast in our hope and our commitment to the sanctity of life. We thank you for your tireless efforts in addressing structural root-cause problems in the countries of origin for millions of migrants who unfortunately have left their countries and are facing many dehumanizing situations living in danger, as well as for your noble missions in defending the defenseless, and we ask for your immediate and decisive action in this grave matter.

May the Grace of the Lord guide your deliberations and your deeds.

With prayers for peace and justice,

Abba Tesfaslassie Medhin

Bishop of Catholic Eparchy of Adigrat