Saudi prisoner of conscience, academic Awad Al-Qarni, has completed seven years of arbitrary detention, during which he was subjected to deliberate abuse and medical neglect.
During his detention, Al-Qarni suffered from a severe herniated disc and was subjected to drug poisoning due to deliberately being given the wrong medication in Al-Ha’ir prison.
The Saudi authorities arrested Al-Qarni in September 2017 arrest campaign which included a number of preachers and academics, including Dr. Salman Al-Awda, the Imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saleh Al-Talib, and Dr. Safar Al-Hawali, as well as thinkers, economists, journalists, and a number of female and male human rights activists.
While the Saudi authorities hide the news of detainees, news leaks confirm the deterioration of the health of many of them, or their exposure to torture and ill-treatment.
Al-Qarni’s arbitrary detention for many years is a clear example of the Saudi authorities’ violation of human rights and freedom of expression, and of the difficult conditions activists and human rights defenders face in countries that restrict freedom of expression.
The ongoing political arrests in Saudi Arabia require affirming the right of every individual to express his opinion and participate in public dialogue, without fear of arrest or punishment, and the importance of the adhering to the legal system in any country respecting the principles of human rights and international humanitarian law, which guarantee the protection of individuals from arbitrary arrest, torture, and cruel or inhuman treatment.
