EU Leaders Urged to Demand Release of Saudi Prisoners of Conscience at Riyadh Summit

Ahead of the EU–Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Riyadh on 24 October, the “Together For Justice” calls on European leaders to place the release of Saudi prisoners of conscience at the centre of their discussions and ensure that expanding economic and strategic cooperation does not come at the expense of fundamental human rights.

“Together For Justice” calls on European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to use the upcoming EU–GCC summit in Riyadh to publicly demand the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia, including prominent Islamic scholar Salman al-Odah and human rights lawyer Waleed Abu al-Khair, alongside journalists, activists and human rights defenders imprisoned for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights.

“Together For Justice” stresses that the continued imprisonment of individuals for their opinions, peaceful activism or human rights work raises serious concerns under international human rights standards. Strengthening political and economic relations with Riyadh without meaningfully addressing these cases risks sending a dangerous message that serious abuses can be overlooked when commercial and strategic interests are at stake.

The summit comes amid the continued detention of prominent Saudi figures who have spent years behind bars. Salman al-Odah has been detained since September 2017, while Waleed Abu al-Khair, a prominent human rights lawyer, is serving a 15-year prison sentence imposed in connection with his peaceful human rights activities. Their cases reflect broader concerns over restrictions on freedom of expression, the criminalisation of peaceful dissent and the use of harsh sentences against independent voices.

The Riyadh Summit Must Be a Test of Europe’s Human Rights Commitments

“Together For Justice” considers the summit an important opportunity for European leaders to confront Saudi authorities over ongoing human rights violations and seek concrete commitments to end arbitrary detention and repression.

The European Union repeatedly identifies human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law as central principles of its external relations. These commitments must extend beyond general diplomatic statements and private discussions while prisoners of conscience remain behind bars without effective remedies.

“Together For Justice” warns that treating human rights as secondary to trade, investment and security cooperation undermines the credibility of Europe’s stated commitment to protecting fundamental freedoms.

Expanded cooperation with Saudi Arabia must not provide political cover for arbitrary detention, unfair trials, restrictions on civil society or the persecution of human rights defenders.

Concrete Demands for European Leaders

“Together For Justice” urges the presidents of the European Council and European Commission to pursue the following measures during the summit:

• Publicly demand the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners of conscience, including Salman al-Odah, Waleed Abu al-Khair and everyone imprisoned solely for peaceful expression or legitimate human rights activities.
• Demand transparency regarding detainees’ whereabouts and conditions, including regular access to families and legal representatives, adequate medical care and independent monitoring of detention facilities.
• Press Saudi authorities to end the misuse of counterterrorism and cybercrime legislation to criminalise peaceful expression, and review convictions imposed on journalists, activists and human rights defenders under these laws.
• Call for an end to arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, together with independent and transparent investigations into allegations of abuse in Saudi detention facilities, accountability for those responsible and effective remedies for victims.
• Demand judicial independence and fair-trial guarantees, including an end to judicial proceedings used to punish peaceful dissent and independent review of politically motivated prosecutions.
• Seek the removal of arbitrary restrictions imposed on released detainees, including travel bans, surveillance and measures preventing former prisoners from resuming their normal lives and exercising their fundamental rights.
• Establish measurable human rights benchmarks within EU–Saudi relations, supported by clear follow-up mechanisms, review timelines and public reporting on progress.
• Engage directly with victims, detainees’ families and independent human rights organisations, ensuring that European assessments are not based solely on information supplied by Saudi authorities.

Economic Interests Must Not Become an Excuse for Silence

“Together For Justice” warns that expanding relations with Saudi Arabia without securing tangible progress on human rights risks reinforcing the perception that domestic repression carries little political cost in the kingdom’s international relationships.

“Together For Justice” stresses that releasing prisoners of conscience is not a symbolic gesture intended to improve Saudi Arabia’s international image. It is a fundamental human rights obligation, and the continued imprisonment of individuals for peaceful expression requires sustained international scrutiny and action.

European leaders must therefore go beyond raising these concerns behind closed doors. “Together For Justice” calls for clear public statements during the summit, the inclusion of specific human rights demands in its official outcomes and continued monitoring of Saudi Arabia’s response after the meetings conclude.

The success of the EU–GCC summit should not be measured solely by the scale of economic agreements or strategic understandings reached. It should also be judged by the willingness of European leaders to use their political influence to defend individuals deprived of their liberty for peacefully expressing their views.

As Riyadh prepares to welcome European leaders for discussions on the future of economic and strategic cooperation, Saudi prisoners of conscience remain behind bars, awaiting meaningful international action.

A summit that celebrates closer relations while overlooking their imprisonment would represent another missed opportunity to demonstrate that human rights are not negotiable whenever political and commercial interests are involved.