Arbitrary Detention as Collective Punishment: Saudi Authorities Target Dissident’s Family Through Prolonged Imprisonment
Together for Justice expresses its deep concern over the continued arbitrary detention of Aida Al-Ghamdi, an elderly Saudi citizen, and her son Adel Al-Ghamdi, who have remained imprisoned since March 2018. Their detention appears to be a retaliatory act aimed at silencing and pressuring Aida’s exiled son, Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, a well-known dissident and human rights activist based in the United Kingdom.
The arrest and continued detention of Aida and Adel Al-Ghamdi violate multiple principles of international law, including the prohibition of arbitrary detention, the right to due process, and the prohibition of collective punishment. No formal charges have been brought against them, and they have not been presented before a court of law. Their only “offense” appears to be their familial connection to a political dissident who has openly criticised the Saudi regime.
According to credible testimonies from Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, both detainees have been subjected to severe physical and psychological abuse. Aida Al-Ghamdi, now in her sixties, has endured prolonged solitary confinement, physical beatings, and systematic denial of medical care despite suffering from chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Her health has reportedly deteriorated significantly while in custody.
Her son, Adel Al-Ghamdi, has faced equally brutal treatment, including solitary confinement for months, severe beatings, and cigarette burns inflicted on his body. He was even forced to witness the torture of his own mother, a cruel and deliberate tactic of psychological torture employed by state security forces.
The first three months of their detention were marked by complete incommunicado confinement, during which the family was denied any access to the detainees. Simultaneously, Saudi state-affiliated media launched a coordinated smear campaign, falsely accusing them of threatening national security. These accusations were not supported by any legal proceedings or evidence, further illustrating the regime’s use of media defamation as a political weapon against critics and their families.
Meanwhile, Sultan Al-Ghamdi, another son of Aida, who was briefly detained and then released in 2018, remains under strict house arrest, subjected to electronic surveillance and movement restrictions, despite never being charged or tried.
The treatment of the Al-Ghamdi family is emblematic of a broader strategy adopted by Saudi authorities: the use of collective punishment, enforced disappearances, and torture as tools of repression. It also reflects the systematic collapse of judicial independence in the Kingdom, where security agencies operate with total impunity and the judiciary serves merely as a rubber stamp for repression.
In light of these grave violations, Together for Justice calls on the international community and relevant UN mechanisms to:
- Demand the immediate and unconditional release of Aida and Adel Al-Ghamdi, and ensure their access to medical care and legal representation.
- Call for the lifting of all restrictions imposed on Sultan Al-Ghamdi, including his house arrest and surveillance measures.
- Support the establishment of an independent international investigation into their arbitrary detention and torture.
- Urge the Saudi authorities to cease the practice of targeting dissidents through their family members and to adhere to their international obligations, particularly under the Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
The case of the Al-Ghamdi family serves as a chilling reminder of the extent to which the Saudi regime is willing to go to silence dissent—including imprisoning elderly mothers, torturing sons, and holding entire families hostage in order to intimidate critics abroad.
