12 Years of Unjust Imprisonment for Saudi Activist Muhannad Al-Muhaimid

In the shadow of Saudi Arabia’s claims of modernisation and reform lies a grim reality: a regime that ruthlessly suppresses dissent and silences those who dare to speak out. One such victim is Muhannad Al-Muhaimid, a Saudi activist whose 12-year imprisonment is a stark reminder of the Kingdom’s ongoing human rights abuses. His story, marked by arbitrary detention, torture, and a deeply flawed legal process, underscores the urgent need for justice and international intervention.

The Arrest and Baseless Charges

On November 19, 2012, at the age of 23, Muhannad Al-Muhaimid was arrested by Saudi authorities for tweets posted on his personal Twitter account. These tweets, which criticised the government and supported peaceful activism, were deemed by the regime as incitement against the state and mockery of the ruling authorities. For simply exercising his right to free speech, Muhannad was subjected to the full force of the Kingdom’s oppressive legal system.

In February 2014, after more than a year of arbitrary detention, Muhannad was brought before the Specialised Criminal Court. The charges against him were shockingly disproportionate: participating in a peaceful protest, disrespecting Saudi authorities, and taking photos of the demonstration with the intent to incite unrest. These baseless accusations led to a draconian sentence on April 9, 2014: 10 years in prison, followed by a 10-year travel ban, a 100,000 Saudi Riyal fine, and the forced closure of all his social media accounts.

Torture and Solitary Confinement

Muhannad’s suffering did not end with his sentencing. Throughout his imprisonment, he has been subjected to severe human rights violations, including prolonged solitary confinement—a practice recognised internationally as a form of torture. Muhannad was denied contact with his family, leaving them in constant fear for his safety. Reports have also surfaced that Muhannad was tortured for refusing to accept a government-appointed lawyer, choosing instead to defend himself—an act of courage that only intensified his mistreatment.

The cruelty extended beyond physical torture. Muhannad’s father revealed that prison doctors administered drugs classified as narcotics to his son, raising serious concerns about whether this was a deliberate attempt to further harm him. The idea that a young man, imprisoned for peaceful activism, could be subjected to such inhumane treatment underscores the depths of brutality within the Saudi penal system.

Widespread Condemnation and Calls for Justice

Together for Justice has been at the forefront of condemning the Saudi authorities for their inhumane treatment of Muhannad Al-Muhaimid. The organisation has decried the fact that a young man could be imprisoned and tortured for peaceful activism and has demanded that the Saudi government respect Muhannad’s basic human rights. His continued detention is not just a grave injustice but a blatant violation of international human rights law.

12 Years of Darkness

Despite completing his 10-year prison sentence, Muhannad Al-Muhaimid remains unjustly detained by the Saudi authorities. His continued imprisonment, beyond the term handed down by the court, highlights the unyielding repression and arbitrary nature of the Saudi regime. Muhannad’s case, marked by years of torture, solitary confinement, and denial of basic rights, is a stark example of the Kingdom’s ongoing campaign to silence dissent. The fact that he remains behind bars even after serving his full sentence only deepens the injustice and reinforces the urgent need for international pressure to secure his release.

Muhannad Al-Muhaimid’s story is not just the story of one man—it is the story of a nation where expressing dissent can lead to over a decade of imprisonment and torture. It is a story that should compel all of us to act, to speak out against injustice, and to demand that Saudi Arabia end its brutal campaign against peaceful activists. Until justice is served for Muhannad and others like him, the true face of Saudi Arabia will remain that of an oppressive regime that crushes the rights of its people under the weight of authoritarian rule.