Israa Al-Ghomgham Enters Her 10th Year Behind Bars for Peaceful Activism
Nearly a decade after her arbitrary arrest, Saudi human rights activist Israa Al-Ghomgham remains imprisoned in Saudi Arabia, serving a 13-year sentence handed down by the notorious Specialised Criminal Court — a body frequently used to silence activists, reformists, and prisoners of conscience under the guise of counterterrorism.
Al-Ghomgham was arrested in late 2015 along with her husband, Musa Al-Hashim, after Saudi security forces raided their home in the Eastern Province city of Qatif. Their only “crime” was participating in peaceful demonstrations calling for reform, equality, and human rights. Despite the non-violent nature of her activism, the authorities treated her as a threat, subjecting her to years of detention and judicial harassment.
During her prolonged imprisonment, Israa was denied fair trial guarantees, including access to legal representation and the right to defend herself. Reports indicate that she faced degrading treatment and was held under harsh conditions. Initially, the Public Prosecution sought the death penalty, marking the first time in Saudi Arabia’s history that a woman faced execution solely for peaceful activism. Following international outrage, the death sentence demand was dropped, but she was later sentenced to 13 years in prison — a ruling that reflects the regime’s relentless determination to crush dissent.
Together for Justice affirms that Israa Al-Ghomgham’s case epitomises the Saudi regime’s broader pattern of criminalising peaceful expression and targeting women activists, especially in the Eastern Province. Her continued imprisonment, nearly a decade later, is a clear act of retaliation intended to intimidate others from speaking out against injustice and discrimination.
The organisation holds the Saudi authorities fully responsible for Israa Al-Ghomgham’s physical and psychological wellbeing and demands her immediate and unconditional release, along with all prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, Together for Justice urges the United Nations, the European Union, and democratic governments worldwide to exert real pressure on the Saudi regime to end its systematic persecution of peaceful activists and to ensure accountability for those responsible for such grave violations of human rights.
