Articles for Saudi Arabia

Saudi human rights defender Issa Al Hamid arbitrarily detained since September 2017

Saudi human rights defender Issa Al Hamid arbitrarily detained since September 2017

Al Hamid was summoned for interrogation at the Bureau of Investigations and Prosecution in Al Qassim seven times between November 21, 2013, and June 14, 2014. His right to legal counsel was denied on every occasion and he was subjected to ill-treatment, including by being insulted, threatened with an arrest warrant and placed in a detention cell on several occasions during his interrogation.

Timeline

Missing father and son seen in Al Hayer prison in Riyadh

Missing father and son seen in Al Hayer prison in Riyadh

On August 15, 2019, Ali Jaralla and his son Abdulhadi travelled to Saudi Arabia to visit relatives in the Eastern Province. They entered the country with a family permit issued by the Saudi authorities.

On August 18, 2019, they went missing in the city of Al Hufuf. Three days later, on August 21, one of their relatives received a call from an individual saying he saw them in Al Hayer prison in Riyadh. He said that they had both been abducted on August 18 by men in civilian clothing.

Timeline

Saudi cleric arbitrarily detained for denouncing discrimination faced by Saudi Arabia’s Shi’a minority

Saudi cleric arbitrarily detained for denouncing discrimination faced by Saudi Arabia’s Shi’a minority

Sheikh Al Habib is a cleric known for supporting protests against the systematic discrimination faced by Saudi Arabia’s Shi’a minority. He first faced intimidation from the authorities in December 2012 over a sermon delivered in July 2012 in which he denounced religious hatred against the Shi’a community and called upon the government to put an end to sectarianism. Al Habib was forced to sign a pledge not to give sermons that could be considered objectionable.

Timeline

Saudi women's rights defender, Samar Badawi, conditionally released

Saudi women's rights defender, Samar Badawi, conditionally released

Samar Badawi is a human rights defender who has been targeted repeatedly by the Saudi authorities for her peaceful activism. She advocates for women’s rights, civil and political rights, and the release of her brother, Raif Badawi, as well as her ex-husband, Waleed Abu Al Khair.

Timeline

Human rights defender Mohammad Al Qahtani remains forcibly disappeared in Saudi Arabia despite repeated UN calls for his release

Human rights defender Mohammad Al Qahtani remains forcibly disappeared in Saudi Arabia despite repeated UN calls for his release

Mohammad Fahad Al Qahtani, a human rights defender and co-founder of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), was sentenced on March 9, 2013 by the Criminal Court in Riyadh to 10 years of imprisonment and a 10-year travel ban on several charges related to his human rights work including “accusing the judicial and legal system of lack of independence and questioning their integrity”; “antagonising the international organisations against the Saudi government by disseminating false information”; and “using the Internet to disseminate opinions, petitions, and statements against

Timeline

Continuous reprisals against Saudi human rights defender Fawzan Al Harbi as wife Amal detained in crackdown

Continuous reprisals against Saudi human rights defender Fawzan Al Harbi as wife Amal detained in crackdown

On May 22, 2013, Fawzan Al Harbi – a human rights defender and member of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA) – was prevented from boarding a flight to Geneva to attend a human rights conference by airport authorities. Al Harbi had contributed to the submission of cases of arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment to the United Nations human rights mechanisms.

Timeline

Jordanian journalist Abdelrahman Farhaneh detained in Saudi Arabia since February 2019

Jordanian journalist Abdelrahman Farhaneh detained in Saudi Arabia since February 2019

On February 22, 2019, Abdulrahman Farhaneh was on his way to Dammam airport to travel to Jeddah when he was stopped at a checkpoint just before the airport controlled by the Saudi State Security Service.

Farhaneh was arrested and taken back to his home, where the officers searched his belongings for two hours, confiscating his mobile phone and laptop before taking him to an unknown location.

Timeline

Heading: Saudi-American doctor and TV personality sentenced to 3.2 years in prison for having expressed critical views

Heading: Saudi-American doctor and TV personality sentenced to 3.2 years in prison for having expressed critical views

On November 5, 2017, Fitaihi was arrested from his office in Jeddah by police officers dressed in civilian clothes. The officers did not present an arrest warrant, nor did they provide any reason for his arrest.

The officers informed his family that they wanted to question him, and that he would be released later the same day. However, Fitaihi was taken instead to the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, where he was detained for around three months.

Timeline

Syrian pilgrim Khaled Abdulaziz disappeared in Saudi Arabia for 19 months

Syrian pilgrim Khaled Abdulaziz disappeared in Saudi Arabia for 19 months

On August 26, 2017, Abdulaziz travelled with his mother from Turkey to Mecca to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage. After completing the Hajj rituals, Abdulaziz and his mother traveled to Medina.

On September 11, 2017, Abdulaziz informed his mother that he wanted to go back to Mecca to visit the Grand Mosque. The following day, September 12, Abdulaziz undertook the journey back to Mecca.

Timeline

Saudi journalist remains disappeared as rumours emerge he was tortured to death in detention

Saudi journalist remains disappeared as rumours emerge he was tortured to death in detention

At around 11 p.m. on March 15, 2018, Turki Al Jasser was arrested from his home in Riyadh by Mabahith officers dressed in civilian clothes. They confiscated his wallet and electronic devices, including his mobile phone and laptop, before forcing him to go with them to an unknown location.

Timeline