🕊️ Ziyad al-Sufiani has been released after over four and a half years of arbitrary imprisonment. He was an Arabic Wikipedia administrator, arrested for editing pages like that of Saudi WHRD Loujain al-Hathloul. His fellow Wikipedian Osama Khalid (see below) remains in prison.

Today marks seven years since humanitarian worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan was arrested and disappeared. Sentenced to 20 years in jail for peaceful Twitter activity, he continues to be disappeared and denied any family contact. #SaudiArabia's authorities must #FreeSadhan now.

Global Citizens, imprisoned women's rights activist, Manahel al-Otaibi, needs your help! Saudi Arabia sentenced her to 11 years in prison because of her choice of clothing and support for women’s rights. Help call for her release now 🗣️🗣️🗣️ bit.ly/4ir3YgK

Read Rob Draper's piece in UnHerd breaking down the reality behind the “poisoned chalice” of Newcastle’s #Saudi ownership. It mentions our recent trip to the city to meet with city council leaders. 🔗 unherd.com/2025/03/newc

🚨 Human rights defender and #ACPRA co-founder Mohammed al-Bejadi remains imprisoned long after the expiry of his sentence. Arrested in May 2018, he was handed a 10-year prison term with 5 years suspended, which thus expired in 2023. Saudi authorities must #FreeAlBejadi now.

🕊️ Fatima al-Shawarb has been released after four and a half years of arbitrary imprisonment. She was sentenced to 30 years and six months in prison for peaceful tweets, including defending prisoners of conscience. #SaudiArabia ➡️ alqst.org/en/politicalpr…

Egyptian poet Abdulrahman Yusuf Al-Qaradawi was forcibly extradited to the UAE three months ago, and remains forcibly disappeared. ALQST joins 30+ NGOs in addressing an open letter to the UK and the EU to call for his release. #FreeAbdulrahman alqst.org/en/post/urgent…

While NUFC's fans aren't to blame for Saudi's violations, silence helps the regime sportswash its image. "The happiness, success and joy of fans should not be on the back of the repression of innocent human rights defenders in Saudi"Julia Legner 🔗Link: theguardian.com/football/2025/…

"Newcastle City Council defends push for Saudi investment" As we outlined in our meeting, there are many ways that the council could positively use its leverage. Unfortunately, they remain unwilling to do so. Read more, with a quote from Josh Cooper: chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-eas…

Yesterday in Dublin, we met with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Mary Lawlor UN Special Rapporteur HRDs, and her team to discuss the ongoing prosecution of HRDs in Saudi, including ill-treatment and medical neglect in detention, and lengthy travel bans imposed after their release.

ALQST and The Human Rights Defence Clinic, hosted at Centre for Applied Human Rights have collaborated to launch ‘Justice Delayed is Justice Denied’ — a campaign to end arbitrary detention and ensure the release of Waleed Abu al-Khair, an arbitrarily detained Saudi human rights defender and lawyer.

Claudia Mahler will be visiting #SaudiArabia from 20–30 April 2025, at the invitation of the government. Her visit will focus on the rights of older persons, including access to healthcare, social security, and protection from age-based discrimination. 🔗 ohchr.org/en/press-relea…

Today marks five years since visionary human rights defender Abdullah al-Hamid died in detention following denial of medical care. His legacy in the field of reform and human rights lives on, in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

Interested in promoting human rights in #SaudiArabia? ALQST is looking for a new intern to join our team. Deadline to apply: 19 May More details here: 🔗 alqst.org/en/jobs

📢 UN experts have called for the immediate release of five young men facing imminent execution in #SaudiArabia over alleged protest-related offences that took place when they were children. 🔗 ohchr.org/en/press-relea…

🚨 Nourah al-Qahtani, a mother of five, has been held in solitary confinement since February, with her health rapidly deteriorating. ALQST and partners call on #Saudi authorities to release her at once and immediately provide her adequate medical care. alqst.org/en/post/ngos-c…

🕊️ Medical doctor Lina Alsharif has been released after four years of arbitrary imprisonment. She was arrested in May 2021 during a crackdown by #SaudiArabia's authorities against a number of bloggers who had been peacefully expressing their opinions online.

Now public: I wrote to the Govt of #SaudiArabia about the continued ill-treatment & intimidation of detained WHRD Manahel al-Otaibi, as well as her conviction in 2024 Saudi Arabia Mission to the UN in Geneva Read the full letter & Govt's response, which has just been translated: srdefenders.org/saudi-arabia-c…

“It is a prison, not a care home.” Read Tom Levitt and Deepa Parent new piece about Girls’ and Women’s “Care Institutions” in #SaudiArabia, featuring testimonies about the harrowing experiences of those inside. With comments from ALQST theguardian.com/global-develop…

🕊️ Mohammed al-Rabiah has been released after seven years of arbitrary imprisonment. He was arrested in May 2018 as part of a crackdown against #WHRDs and several men who advocated for women’s rights in #SaudiArabia, subjected to brutal torture, and sentenced for his activism.