Despite serving his 6-year prison sentence, Issa Al-Nukhaifi kept in jail for over a year
Despite having completed his six-year prison sentence a year ago, Saudi human rights activist Issa Al-Nukhaifi remains detained at Al-Ha’ir prison.
In 2017, Issa al-Nukheifi was taken into custody and placed under enforced disappearance until appearing in court on charges of “preparing, storing, and sending information that harms public order” and “participating in inciting strife by calling for and coordinating protests and demonstrations.”
Al-Nukhaifi’s actual accusation stemmed from his tweets opposing the Saudi-led campaign in Yemen and advocating for the release of political prisoners.
After an unfair trial that failed to meet essential fair trial standards, he was sentenced in 2018 to six years in prison and a six-year travel ban.
Al-Nukhaifi suffered grave human rights violations while in custody. He was held in inhumane conditions during the Corona outbreak, deprived of adequate medical care.
In mid-October 2022, Al-Nukhaifi launched an open-ended hunger strike in protest against his continued imprisonment beyond his release date.
Saudi authorities resort to holding political prisoners beyond their release dates as a form of intimidation and revenge, in total violation of both national and international laws.
Thus, Together for Justice calls on the international community and the UN concerned bodies to intervene urgently to put an end to the Saudi policy of indefinite detention against political prisoners.
