Five Years Since the Arrest of Najwa Al-Humaid Over Peaceful Online Activism Amid Continued Targeting of Women Activists in Saudi Arabia
Together for Justice renews its call for the immediate release of Saudi activist Najwa Ahmed Al-Humaid, who is marking her fifth year in Saudi prisons after being arrested in May 2021 over her peaceful online activity and expression of opinion.
According to available information, Al-Humaid has faced politically motivated and vaguely defined charges, including “communicating with suspicious entities,” “participating in hashtags related to unemployed citizens and prisoners of conscience,” and “following opposition accounts on X.” The accusations are directly linked to her peaceful engagement with public issues and online discussions concerning unemployment, human rights, and detainees in Saudi Arabia.
Her case emerged during a broader crackdown launched in 2021 against activists and social media users for participating in discussions on economic and human rights issues, reflecting a wider policy aimed at restricting independent expression and suppressing public debate.
During her detention, Al-Humaid was reportedly subjected to multiple procedural and psychological abuses, including interrogation without legal representation, repeated transfers between detention facilities, and sustained psychological pressure throughout the investigation and detention process.
Her case drew additional criticism after she was reportedly forced to appear in a state media segment promoting what authorities described as “quality of life inside Saudi prisons.” Human rights groups viewed the appearance as a form of coercive propaganda intended to improve the image of detention facilities despite ongoing reports of abuse and mistreatment inside prisons.
Together for Justice stresses that the use of broad and politically framed accusations tied to online activity represents a dangerous expansion in the criminalization of freedom of expression, particularly when peaceful participation in public discussions becomes grounds for arrest and imprisonment.
From a legal perspective, the detention of Najwa Al-Humaid over her peaceful opinions and online activity violates fundamental principles of freedom of expression and undermines fair trial guarantees, especially in light of the lack of transparency surrounding the legal proceedings against her.
The organization further believes that the continued targeting of women activists over their views or digital activity reflects a broader pattern of using security and judicial institutions to silence independent female voices and suppress public discussion on social and human rights issues.
Accordingly, Together for Justice calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Najwa Ahmed Al-Humaid, an end to the prosecution of individuals over peaceful online activity, and the cessation of arbitrary detention and psychological pressure used against activists and prisoners of conscience.
The organization also urges the international community and UN mechanisms concerned with freedom of expression and women’s rights to continue pressuring Saudi authorities to release all detainees imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their fundamental rights.
