Imprisoned for Seeking Truth: The Ongoing Ordeal of Abdul Rahman Al-Dawish in Saudi Detention
Together for Justice renews its urgent call for accountability from the Saudi authorities regarding the health and safety of Abdul Rahman Al-Dawish, who has now been languishing in detention for nearly three years. Despite ongoing international concern, his condition has only worsened since he was placed in solitary confinement, leading to his transfer to intensive care earlier in March 2023.
Abdul Rahman was arrested in October 2021 after persistently seeking information about his forcibly disappeared father, Sheikh Suleiman Al-Dawish, who has been missing since 2016.
The arrest of Abdul Rahman occurred shortly after he attempted to contact Badr Al-Asaker, the head of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s private office. Al-Asaker, a key figure in the Saudi regime, is deeply involved in the Crown Prince’s inner circle, which has been central to the ongoing repression in the kingdom. Abdul Rahman’s efforts to seek information about his father’s fate through Al-Asaker tragically led to his own disappearance and subsequent imprisonment.
After that, Abdul Rahman was subjected to a secret trial on November 5, 2021, without the presence of his family or legal representation. By December 9, 2021, the Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh had sentenced him to two years in prison, a sentence later upheld by the Court of Appeals in February 2022. Throughout this ordeal, Abdul Rahman has endured a series of egregious human rights violations, including being coerced into signing a confession under duress—accusations which include undermining public order and defaming others through his mobile device.
More than a month after his arrest, Abdul Rahman’s health took a critical turn, necessitating his transfer to intensive care, where he remained for nearly two weeks. Following this, he was moved to a high-security prison notorious for its harsh conditions, where his life continues to be at serious risk due to the inhumane treatment he is subjected to.
The suffering of the Al-Dawish family does not end here. In August 2021, Abdul Rahman’s brother, Abdul Wahhab Al-Dawish, was also arrested, and his fate remains unknown to his family. In July 2022, yet another brother, Malik Al-Dawish, was detained after posting a series of tweets demanding the release of their father and the revelation of his fate. This pattern of arrests appears to be a form of collective punishment by the Saudi regime, aimed at silencing the Al-Dawish family for their legitimate demands for justice.
Together for Justice urgently calls on international governments and organizations to take a firmer stance against Saudi Arabia’s escalating human rights violations. The Al-Dawish family is being subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment simply for exercising their right to seek justice and information about their loved ones. The international community must intervene to prevent further harm to this family and others who find themselves in similar situations.
We demand immediate UN intervention to investigate the conditions of political prisoners in Saudi Arabia, establish an international committee to review their detentions and trials, and exert pressure on the Saudi authorities to disclose the fate of all forcibly disappeared individuals. Furthermore, it is imperative that fair trials are guaranteed for all detainees in the kingdom.
The situation is dire, and the time to act is now. The world cannot remain silent in the face of such blatant human rights abuses. The Al-Dawish family’s suffering should serve as a rallying cry for all who believe in justice and human dignity.
