Many Ethiopians convicts who have served their terms for various crimes in Saudi Arabia have complained about being held against their will,having finished serving their sentences.
The migrants say, they were moved from detention to a seedy holding centre. Five months ago, the Ethiopian government launched a year-long campaign to repatriate 100,000 migrants from the oil-rich country.
Over 700 of the migrants had spent between five and fifteen years in prison after they were convicted of crimes including possession of narcotics and other illicit substances.
Many wished for freedom and to able to return to Ethiopia once they had finished their sentences. However, they found themselves in a detention centre where some are battling serious health difficulties.
The migrants accused the Ethiopian government of being unwilling to facilitate their release and repatriation.
The Saudi authorities had previously denied mistreating affected Ethiopians after reports accused them of holding detainees in unsanitary centres.
Thousands of Ethiopian migrants, some of whom are undocumented, are believed to be resident in Saudi Arabia.
