The Saudi authorities continue to arbitrarily detain Abdullah Yahya Al-Ghazawi for five years for expressing his opinion.
In May 2019, Saudi security arrested Abdullah after raiding his family home in Qatif, and without providing any arrest warrant or reasons for his arrest.
Al-Ghazawi suffers from harsh detention conditions, and he is not banned from communicating with his family or any lawyer.
The Saudi authorities refrain from giving out any information about detainees, however news leaks confirm the health deterioration of many of them, or being subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
Al-Ghazwi was arrested for expressing his opinion, which is a clear example of the violation of human rights and freedom of expression suffered by many activists and human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Ghazwi’s continued detention highlights the need for fundamental human rights reforms in Saudi Arabia, and ensuring citizens’ rights to express their opinions without being subjected to harassment or arrest.
Saudi Arabia must respect the right of every individual to express his opinion and participate in public dialogue, without fear of arrest or punishment. It should also ensure the existence of a legal system that respects human rights and international humanitarian law that guarantee the protection of individuals from arbitrary arrest, torture and cruel or inhuman treatment.
