The mother of Essam al-Shazly, an Egyptian national executed in Saudi Arabia in December, has spoken of her grief and anger over his death. Shazly, 28, was put to death after being convicted on drug trafficking charges, despite his family's claims of innocence. His mother, who wished to remain anonymous due to fears of reprisals, described the sentence as 'unjust' and questioned the lack of mercy shown by the judge.
Shazly was found in the Red Sea near a floating tyre containing drugs, but his mother insists he was a fisherman coerced into smuggling and forced to confess. She said he had been thrown into the water by smugglers and believed his involvement was a minor issue. During his four years on death row, she maintained daily contact, calming his fears and hoping for a reprieve.
The execution occurred amid a surge in capital punishment under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, with a record 356 people put to death in 2024. Human rights groups have criticised the trials as deeply flawed, often involving confessions extracted under torture. Many of those executed were impoverished foreigners convicted of non-violent drug crimes, sometimes for promises of just a few hundred dollars.
Shazly spent his final days in a notorious prison block in Tabuk, nicknamed the 'death wing' due to the high number of executions. His mother said he told her they went days without seeing sunlight. Despite a clemency plea highlighting inconsistencies in his confession, including his severe depression, the execution proceeded. His last words were a request for forgiveness from his family.
His mother now calls for mercy and justice, stating, 'Don't they have any mercy at all? Drugs are harmful, but you caught a carrier, not a dealer.' She added that poor families like hers receive little help from embassies and cannot afford lawyers, leaving them powerless against the system.
