Eight Years Behind Bars – Issa al-Hamid Marks a Grim Anniversary of Arbitrary Detention in Saudi Arabia
Today marks eight full years since the arrest of Saudi human rights defender Issa al-Hamid, one of the founders of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA), who was detained on 16 September 2017 during the mass September Crackdown that targeted dozens of reformists, academics, and activists.
Despite repeated international appeals, al-Hamid remains arbitrarily imprisoned in Buraidah Prison in al-Qassim region under harsh conditions that raise serious concerns for his safety and well-being.
Unjust Sentence and Politicized Trial
Issa al-Hamid was sentenced to 11 years in prison, followed by an 11-year travel ban and a 100,000 Saudi riyal fine, solely for his peaceful human rights advocacy — including calls for basic reforms such as the establishment of an elected parliament and an independent judiciary, both of which are fundamental rights enshrined in international human rights law.
His trial was marred by serious violations of fair trial standards. He faced vague and politically motivated charges such as “defaming religious scholars,” “participating in an unlicensed organization,” and “communicating with international organizations to harm the Kingdom’s reputation.” These accusations were designed to criminalize free expression and peaceful activism, in clear breach of Saudi Arabia’s obligations under international law.
Harsh Conditions and Denial of Rights
Al-Hamid is held in Buraidah Prison, where he has been subjected to denial of contact with his family and lawyer, stripping him of his basic legal and human rights protections. His isolation from the outside world reflects an intentional policy to break his spirit and silence his voice, and it places his physical and mental health at severe risk.
Collective Punishment Against the al-Hamid Family
Issa’s case is part of a broader pattern of collective punishment against the al-Hamid family. His elder brother Abdullah al-Hamid, one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent reformist thinkers, died in April 2020 after suffering a stroke in prison amid deliberate medical neglect. Another brother, Abdulrahman al-Hamid, is serving a nine-year prison sentence for his peaceful activism. This systematic targeting of the entire family illustrates the Saudi regime’s policy of using family-based reprisals to intimidate and silence human rights defenders.
Ignoring International Condemnation
Despite international criticism — including formal opinions by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declaring his detention arbitrary — the Saudi authorities continue to refuse to improve human rights conditions or comply with international standards.
The crackdown on ACPRA, once a leading voice for civil and political rights in the Kingdom, and the harsh imprisonment of its members, reveals a deliberate strategy to eradicate any movement advocating for basic freedoms.
Call for Urgent Action
Together for Justice affirms that Issa al-Hamid’s ongoing imprisonment after eight years constitutes a grave violation of international law and shows that the September Crackdown never ended — it continues to this day.
We call on the international community to:
- Demand the immediate and unconditional release of Issa al-Hamid and all prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia.
- Ensure that he is allowed regular and unhindered contact with his family and lawyer.
- Establish an independent international investigation into his treatment and detention conditions.
- Protect all human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia and end the policy of collective punishment against their families.
After eight years of injustice, Issa al-Hamid remains behind bars — a stark reminder that Saudi authorities are determined to crush peaceful dissent and human rights advocacy. His case is not an exception but part of a systematic pattern of repression that will not end without urgent international pressure.
His release is an urgent humanitarian and moral imperative that cannot be delayed any longer.
