The German Institute for Democracy and Development calls on Saudi authorities to uncover the location and circumstances of Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan, an Internet activist and relief worker. He is receiving a 20-year jail term for infringing on his right to free expression. On the fourth anniversary of Al-arbitrary Sadhan’s incarceration, March 12, 2022, his family is urging people to use the hashtag #FreeSadhan and join the movement for his release. He hasn’t been heard from since October 2021.
According to his sister, Areej Al-Sadhan, a women human rights campaigner, “We can’t even check on his health since Saudi officials continue to deny him calls and visits. We’re concerned about his safety since the abuse and mistreatment have left visible scars and harmed his health.”
DIDE strongly denounced the barbaric punishment of 20 years in jail, followed by a 20-year travel restriction after his release, handed down to Al-Sadhan by the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC) in Riyadh on April 5, 2021. The SCC is Saudi Arabia’s terrorism court, which was formed in 2008 to try members of terrorist organizations but has subsequently been used to arrest human rights defenders and campaigners. This court is not independent, and its decisions are influenced by the highest authority.
During his trial, Al-Sadhan was denied access to a counsel, in violation of international principles of fair trial and due process.
On October 5, 2021, the Riyadh Court of Appeal affirmed his sentence. His family has had no news about Al-Sadhan since that day, despite filing a legal objection to the sentence, as well as a complaint about violations to his rights as a prisoner, to the Saudi supreme court on November 2, 2022, where the previous court had ignored the violations of enforced disappearance and torture.
Areej Al-Sadhan asked, “Why do they keep hiding my brother again? Are they back to torturing him again? We are concerned for my brother’s safety. His health was deteriorating, and the signs of torture were clear. Why does the Human Rights Commission in Saudi Arabia continue to cover up violations?!”
The allegations stem from Al-nonviolent Sadhan’s Twitter activity, which included publishing tweets expressing his thoughts on citizens’ public issues. On March 12, 2018, Al-Sadhan was detained at the Saudi Red Crescent Society headquarters in Riyadh, where he works as a humanitarian worker.
DIDE calls on the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as international organizations such as the United Nations, to take urgent action to achieve the release of Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan and all other jailed human rights defenders and activists in Saudi Arabia. We urge the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to organize visits to Saudi jails and detention centers where prisoners of conscience are being held and to report on these breaches.
DIDE calls on Saudi authorities to:
- Overturn Abdulrahman Al-sentence, Sadhan’s drop all charges against him, and unconditionally release him, along with all detained human rights defenders, activists, and prisoners of conscience;
- Provide Abdulrahman Al-Sadhan with access to his family and medical care while he remains in prison, and end the practice of incommunicado detention;
- Respect public freedoms, especially freedom of speech, both on and off the Internet, and defend all citizens’ civil and human rights without exception; and
- Ensure that all activists, journalists, and human rights defenders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are free to carry out their lawful human rights activities without fear of retaliation or limitations, including judicial harassment, in all situations.
