Hamza Al-Salem under Enforced Disappearance for A Year due to Vision 2030
A whole year has passed now without hearing any news from the Saudi academic and economic expert, Dr. Hamza Al-Salem, who has not been seen in public, and whose account has been suspended since last November, after criticizing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s economic vision 2030.
The Saudi authorities refused to reveal the fate of Al-Salem, with increased concerns about his life, security and safety, especially in light of the notorious reputation of Saudi detention facilities, and the violence security services use with prisoners of conscience and opponents.
Al-Salem did not commit any crime against the state or anyone in it, but he used his legitimate right to express his views. He gave pieces of advice about Vision 2030, criticized some plans in it as an economist, and presented some amendments that mainly for the interest of the country and to preserve the state capabilities.
Al-Salem, is a former university professor at Prince Sultan University, and he has long experience in the economic field since he holds a Ph.D. from the largest American universities.
We, the “Together for Justice” team, affirm our full support for the right of Saudi citizens to express their opinion freely and safely without fear of security prosecutions and persecution.
We call on the relevant UN bodies to intervene urgently to pressure the Saudi regime to reveal the fate of academic Hamza Al-Salem and all the forcibly disappeared, form an international committee to go to visit Saudi Arabia and investigate all cases of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention, ensure that all detainees obtain their rights, and to press for the release of Political prisoners of all currents.
