Five Years On: Amani Al-Zain Still Detained in Saudi Prisons for a Sarcastic Remark
Together for Justice condemns the continued arbitrary detention of Saudi blogger and activist Amani Al-Zain, who has spent nearly five years behind bars simply for exercising her right to free expression.
On 17 May 2020, Saudi security forces raided her home in Jeddah and arrested her, holding her incommunicado for weeks before her detention was made public. Al-Zain’s arrest came in the wake of a vicious online smear and incitement campaign orchestrated by pro-regime digital militias, demanding her punishment after she made a satirical comment about Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The campaign began after Al-Zain appeared in an online discussion with Egyptian activist Wael Ghonim in October 2019, during which she sarcastically referred to the crown prince as “Abu Manshar” (“the man with the saw”) — a phrase alluding to the murder and dismemberment of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Months later, when she re-shared the clip in 2020, pro-regime accounts launched a massive campaign under the hashtag #Amani_AlZain_Insults_the_CrownPrince, leading to her immediate arrest.
Since then, Amani Al-Zain has been held without formal charges or trial, deprived of her right to legal counsel, regular family contact, and fair judicial proceedings. Her case highlights the Saudi regime’s systematic use of cyber armies to persecute dissenters, turning online criticism into a tool for state-led repression and punishment.
The continued detention of Amani Al-Zain constitutes a serious violation of international law, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees freedom of opinion and expression and prohibits arbitrary detention. Her arrest and the ongoing secrecy surrounding her situation raise grave concerns over her safety and well-being, especially amid reports of ill-treatment of female detainees in Saudi prisons.
Together for Justice holds the Saudi authorities fully responsible for Amani Al-Zain’s safety and calls for her immediate and unconditional release, along with all prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia.
Together for Justice further urges the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, and the European Union to demand transparency from the Saudi government, open an investigation into the circumstances of her detention, and end the impunity enjoyed by those responsible for persecuting peaceful voices in the Kingdom.
