Abdulrahman Al-Hawali: A Victim of Collective Punishment for His Father’s Criticism

The case of Abdulrahman Al-Hawali represents a disturbing example of collective punishment and ongoing human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. Since July 2018, Abdulrahman has been arbitrarily detained by Saudi authorities, enduring severe abuses in prison, all due to his relationship with his father, Dr. Safar Al-Hawali, a prominent religious scholar and critic of the Saudi regime.

Abdulrahman’s arrest came as part of a wider crackdown on the Al-Hawali family, following the publication of a book written by his father, which criticized the political situation in Saudi Arabia. During his imprisonment, Abdulrahman has faced numerous violations, including enforced disappearance, physical torture aimed at pressuring his father, and sleep deprivation. He has also been denied visitation rights with his children, adding to the emotional and psychological toll of his unjust detention.

Despite the absence of any legal justification for his arrest, Abdulrahman was initially sentenced to seven years in prison. However, following an appeal, his sentence was shockingly increased to 17 years, a blatant violation of basic legal standards. This arbitrary extension of his sentence reflects the broader pattern of unjust treatment and repression faced by the Al-Hawali family.

The circumstances of Abdulrahman’s detention are deeply concerning. His arrest, along with his brothers Abdullah and Ibrahim, occurred during a family wedding in July 2018, when Saudi security forces stormed the event in Al-Baha and arrested them without any legal warrants. Hours later, their father, Dr. Safar Al-Hawali, was also arrested from his home, alongside another son, Ibrahim, after a raid that involved terrifying the family and confiscating their personal belongings. The entire family was subjected to enforced disappearance for over three months, during which their whereabouts and conditions remained unknown.

Abdulrahman’s father, Dr. Safar Al-Hawali, suffers from severe health issues, including a fractured pelvis and complications from a previous stroke, which necessitated a kidney transplant from his son Abdullah. Despite his critical health condition, Dr. Al-Hawali has been denied adequate medical care in detention, further illustrating the Saudi regime’s disregard for human rights.

The Al-Hawali family’s case epitomizes the Saudi authorities’ use of collective punishment to suppress dissent. By targeting family members, the regime aims to intimidate critics like Dr. Safar Al-Hawali into silence. This tactic of holding relatives hostage in order to pressure dissidents into compliance represents a flagrant violation of international human rights law, which protects individuals from punishment based solely on their family connections.

In May 2024, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities condemned Saudi Arabia for its treatment of Dr. Safar Al-Hawali, highlighting the country’s failure to provide adequate care for his disabilities and its ongoing use of prolonged solitary confinement against him. The committee described these actions as constituting arbitrary detention and torture, calling for an urgent review of his case to ensure a fair trial or immediate release.

Despite these calls, Saudi authorities have continued to escalate the sentences of the Al-Hawali family. In Abdulrahman’s case, his sentence was unjustly increased from seven to 17 years, while his brother Abdullah’s sentence was increased from six to 16 years. Their uncle, Saad Allah Al-Hawali, who was also implicated in the family’s persecution, saw his sentence raised from four to 14 years.

The ongoing detention and harsh treatment of Abdulrahman Al-Hawali, along with his family, highlight the Saudi regime’s policy of collective punishment and disregard for international human rights standards. Together for Justice condemns these actions and calls on the international community to take immediate action.

We urge international human rights organizations and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to intervene in this case, ensuring that Abdulrahman and his family members are granted their basic human rights, including the right to a fair and transparent trial. It is imperative that Saudi Arabia ends its campaign of repression against peaceful critics and their families, and that those responsible for these violations are held accountable.

Abdulrahman Al-Hawali’s case is not just a family tragedy; it is a symbol of the wider human rights abuses taking place in Saudi Arabia today, where dissent is met with harsh reprisals, and families are forced to pay the price for their loved ones’ courage.