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Alerts - Saudi Arabia

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Saudi Arabia

Activist detained for supporting religious freedom

The authorities haven't given a reason for Kamel Abbas al-Ahmed's detention, but ANHRI believes it's because he spoke out for rights for Shiites.

Saudi Arabia

Human rights activist sentenced, on hunger strike

Mohamed El Bagadi has been detained since 21 March 2011 and was recently sentenced to four years imprisonment and banned from travelling for five additional years.

Saudi Arabia

Egyptian lawyer sentenced to one year imprisonment, 20 lashes for criticising King

Upon his arrival in the Kingdom, Ahmed Algizawy found out that he had been sentenced in absentia for his criticism of the Saudi government, and for filing a case with the Egyptian judiciary against the Saudi King demanding the release of Egyptians illegally detained in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia

Human rights activist subject to ten-year travel ban

Released and cleared of all charges in February 2012, Sheikh Mukhlif Shammari was informed of this decision while crossing the King Fahd bridge on his way to Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia

Authorities urged to stop arbitrary arrests, travel bans on critics

On 20 March, Muhammad Fahd al-Qahtani responded to a summons from Riyadh prosecutors for interrogation about his human rights activities and a travel ban was imposed on him a few days later.

Saudi Arabia

Human rights activist and lawyer prevented from travelling

Walid Abu El Kheir received a notice stating that he was forbidden from leaving the country for security reasons, two days prior to a scheduled trip to the United States.

Saudi Arabia

Authorities confiscate book on Arab Spring uprisings

After the authorities seized all copies of his book Questions of the Revolution, author Sheikh Salman Ben-Fahd al-Odah released the book on his website and via Twitter.

Saudi Arabia

Photographer and web manager arrested

Jalal Mohamed al-Jamal was arrested by security forces in the city of Al-Qatif, reportedly accursed of opposing the state and inciting its downfall.

Saudi Arabia

Critical poet detained; website blocked

Habib Ali al-Maatiq, who has been detained for three years in the past for his reformist political opinions, has been detained since 22 February without charges, and authorities have not provided any information on his case.

Saudi Arabia

Student and demonstrator killed as protests spread

The city of al-Qatif witnessed violent confrontations between the police and some protesters calling for social justice, resulting in the death of one citizen and the injury of many others.

Saudi Arabia

Student sit-in violently dispersed

The crackdown on the sit-in resulted in the injuring of 53 female students, including one who suffered a miscarriage, and the detention of a male student who supported the protest.

Saudi Arabia

Protester killed in peaceful demonstration

Mounir al-Midany, 21, was killed when authorities attacked peaceful demonstrations held in the city of Qatif and calling for democratic reforms and the release of political prisoners.

Saudi Arabia / Malaysia

Writer faces apostasy trial after Malaysia deports him back to Saudi Arabia

Hamza Kashgari was preparing to seek political asylum in New Zealand in light of the likely death sentence he faces in Saudi Arabia for expressing his religious views.

Saudi Arabia / Malaysia

Journalist flees country following detention order over tweets

Hamza Kashgari posted several tweets about the birth of prophet Mohamed, and was surprised to find severe attacks on him by clergymen and some Saudi citizens who were angered by what he had written.

Saudi Arabia

Authorities reject application to establish rights organisation

The authorities rejected an application submitted by rights activists to establish the Justice Center for Human Rights, claiming that their objectives are incompatible with the statute of associations and charities.

Saudi Arabia

Demonstrator killed, others injured as security forces crack down on peaceful protest

This is not the first incident of its kind as the authorities have for months been using excessive violence against protesters, says ANHRI.

Saudi Arabia

Renewed protests defy ban; reform advocates arrested

In Riyadh, Buraida, and Qatif, security forces arrested those who were peacefully protesting the detention without trial of hundreds of people held for long periods in intelligence prisons.

Saudi Arabia

Editor-in-chief of "Okaz" newspaper dismissed

Muhammad Al-Tunisi was dismissed after publishing a report about the use of a stimulant-containing plant in Jazan.

Saudi Arabia

ANHRI condemns ongoing stifling of freedom of expression by authorities

The team of "Mal3ob 3lena" is detained for airing an episode on poverty, while the trial of activist Waleed Aboul-Khair is ongoing.

Saudi Arabia

Authorities detain rights activists, protesters' family members

In an effort to pressure their sons to turn themselves in to authorities, security forces detained Hassan Al Zayed and Said Abdul-Aal.

Saudi Arabia

Human Rights Watch calls on authorities to drop charges against human rights lawyer

The charges against Walid Abu al-Khair include "communicating with foreign agencies" and "participating in media [programmes] to distort the country's reputation".

Saudi Arabia

ANHRI condemns blocking of Radio Netherlands Wordwide Arabic website

Observers believe the interference is linked to the posting of information on the mistreatment of foreign workers, including a video of a Saudi man beating an Asian worker.

Saudi Arabia

Journalist faces criminal defamation charges for web article alleging extortion

Fahd al-Juhani was charged with defaming a local health inspector after reporting that the official had attempted to extort money from shopkeepers in Huta.

Saudi Arabia

Draft counterterrorism law places unwarranted restrictions on right to free expression, says Human Rights Watch

The proposal would create a "legal veneer" for unlawful practices and lumps peaceful political opposition together with violent acts, says the organisation.

Saudi Arabia

Authorities block Amnesty International site

According to Amnesty International, its website was blocked following its criticism of a draft anti-terror law that would stifle peaceful protest in the kingdom.

Saudi Arabia

Islamic scholar detained for criticising interior ministry

Dr Yusuf al-Ahmad was arrested on 8 July for posting a video message on YouTube in which he criticised the long-term detention of security suspects without charge or trial.

Saudi Arabia

Lebanese newspaper's website blocked

The "Al-Akhbar" site was blocked by Saudi authorities after it reported on demonstrations in Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia

Authorities block online forum expressing support for detained activist

The authorities blocked a blog by Omaima Al Najjar after she expressed support for a woman activist detained for driving and posting information on her experience on the Internet.

Saudi Arabia

Rights activist, bloggers arrested

Fadhil Makki Al-Manasif's arrest follows amendments to the Press and Publications Law that further restrict the right to free speech.

Saudi Arabia

Dissident writer arrested

European Union, US leaders should publicly condemn human rights violations, Human Rights Watch said.

Saudi Arabia

Arrests for peaceful protest on the rise

More than 160 protesters and critics are being held without charge, in violation of their rights to peaceful expression and assembly.

Bahrain / Saudi Arabia

Mob damages press in Bahrain; Saudis oust international reporter

Armed assailants stormed the Manama printing facility of the Bahraini independent daily "Al-Wasat", damaging the press and hindering production of the 15 March 2011 edition.

Saudi Arabia

Interior ministry reiterates ban on all protests, arrests protesters

The government should rescind its categorical ban on peaceful demonstrations and release the more than 20 protesters detained in the eastern town of Qatif, Human Rights Watch said.

Saudi Arabia

Authorities urged to free cleric who backs change

Shaikh Tawfiq al-'Amir was apparently arrested for calling for a constitutional monarchy and equal rights for Shia Muslims.

Saudi Arabia

Detained critics released, other activists still being held

"The message to Saudi Arabia's critics seems clear: Don't speak out or you will stay behind bars until you have learned your lesson and can be released," said Human Rights Watch.

Saudi Arabia

Ministry of Culture and Information adopts regulation to restrict e-publishing

The regulation applies to all means of e-publications, including blogs, and imposes strict controls on freedom of expression on the Internet.

Saudi Arabia

News website blocked after posting story on WikiLeaks documents

The news website "Elaph" published documents revealing that a Saudi diplomat had urged the United States to attack Iran.

Saudi Arabia

University professor held over Internet article about royal family

Mohammed Abdallah Al-Abdulkarim was arrested after posting an article about King Abdallah bin Abdulaziz health problems and differences in the royal family over the succession.

Saudi Arabia / Egypt

Egyptian activist arrested in Saudi Arabia

Usama Mishref, coordinator of the National Assembly for Change, was arrested while travelling from Riyadh to Mecca to launch a campaign about democratic reform in Egypt.

Saudi Arabia

Journalist sentenced to public lashing

Reporter Fahd al-Jukhaidib wrote about protests over electricity shortages.

Saudi Arabia

Website blocked, editor detained over misprint

The "al-We'aam" website mistakenly attributed information in an article to the wrong news agency and promptly corrected it - nonetheless, editor Turki al-Ruki was arrested.

Saudi Arabia

Charges against rights activist frivolous, says Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch has seen a copy of Shaikh Mikhlif bin Dahham al-Shammari's prison file, which lists "annoying others" as the charge against him.

Saudi Arabia

ANHRI concerned over professor's description of journalists as "soldiers of Satan"

Professor Abdel Rahman AlBarrak described journalists as "soldiers of Satan" owing to his expectation that they would be critical of his call for women to cover their faces.

Saudi Arabia

Rights activist arrested over critical articles

Mikhlif al-Shammari was arrested in connection with articles he wrote and published on several websites that criticised statements by clerics attacking Shia Muslims.

Saudi Arabia

Egyptian academic detained for almost one year without due process

Dr. Abdul Aziz Kamel has been in custody since 13 June 2009 and has yet to be brought to trial.

Saudi Arabia

Authorities block website in record time following launch

Saudi Arabia beat the record set by Tunisia by blocking a site just 15 hours after it had been launched.

Saudi Arabia

Culture club burned down for second time for hosting female intellectuals and writers

The AlJouf club was burned down for a second time at the end of February 2010, after having announced its annual cultural activities agenda.

Saudi Arabia

Advocate for Shia rights held without charge

Munir Jassas was arrested after the intelligence service ordered him to stop his internet writings criticising the government's treatment of Shias.

Saudi Arabia

Blogging about quest to treat comatose brother could land man in jail

Human Rights Watch calls on the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecutions to drop "cybercrimes" charges against Nasir al-Subai'i for writing about his bureaucratic ordeal.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi operator Arabsat takes Iran's Al-Alam network off air

The network has been critical of Saudi involvement in the insurgency in northern Yemen and Al-Alam personnel believe they were taken off the air for political reasons.

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