Saudi human rights activist Abdulaziz Al-Sunaidi has now spent ten years in arbitrary detention in Saudi prisons, where he remains incarcerated solely for posting tweets expressing solidarity with detainees from the Hasm human rights organization.
On February 8, 2015, Saudi authorities arrested Al-Sunaidi and charged him with trumped-up offenses, including “inciting public opinion,” “provoking unrest against public order,” and “signing a petition calling for protests”—charges routinely weaponized by the regime in its systematic crackdown on political activists.
Since his arrest, Al-Sunaidi has been subjected to egregious human rights violations, including ill-treatment, physical and psychological torture, and the denial of family visits. These persistent abuses have forced him to stage multiple hunger strikes in protest against the relentless mistreatment and oppression he continues to endure.
Despite having completed his five-year sentence, Saudi authorities continue to unlawfully detain him, underscoring their unwavering determination to silence dissenting voices.
The Saudi government systematically employs arbitrary detention as a tool of repression, routinely targeting human rights defenders and political activists for exercising their right to freedom of expression. This widespread repression includes detention without fair trial, the use of torture, and the denial of fundamental rights, such as access to legal counsel, family visits, and communication with the outside world.
The anniversary of Al-Sunaidi’s arrest stands as a stark reminder of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing human rights crisis, particularly its brutal suppression of freedom of expression and political dissent. This grave situation demands urgent intervention from human rights organizations and the international community, calling for his immediate and unconditional release, along with that of all political prisoners enduring arbitrary detention and severe abuses.
