Mohammed Al-Rabiah: 2030 days in arbitrary detention
More than 2030 days have passed since the arbitrary arrest of human rights defender Mohammed Al-Rabiah in May 2018.
Al-Rabiah was detained from his family house on May 15, 2018 over his human rights activism and women’s rights advocacy in Saudi Arabia.
In detention, he was subjected to all kinds of torture, including electrocution, waterboarding, beatings, confinement to inhumanely small spaces, and starvation.
Al-Rabiah was charged with “striving to destabilize the social fabric and weaken national cohesion and community cohesion,” “communicating with others with the intent of disturbing the security and stability of the nation,” and “writing and publishing a book containing suspicious instructions.”
On April 20, 2021, al-Rabiah was sentenced to six years in prison and two years suspended. He was supposed to be released last year after serving his prison term.
However, al-Rabiah was kept in jail and brought before the Specialized Criminal Court in October 2022.
In December 2022, al-Rabiah was re-sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Together for Justice renews its calls to immediately release Mohammed Al-Rabiah, to drop all charges against him, to open an independent investigation into the serious violations he was subjected to, and to hold accountable those responsible for these abuses.
The fact that Al-Rabiah is still behind bars despite having served his sentence raises questions about the Saudi Arabian government’s regard for fundamental justice and rights. This emphasises the need for the international community and specialised UN bodies to act quickly to put pressure on the Saudi government to uphold the law, ensure that all detainees receive fair trials, and adhere to international human rights standards.
The organisation reiterates its dedication to standing in solidarity with human rights defenders and defending their fundamental rights. It also urges the international community and human rights organisations to back initiatives aimed at demanding justice and to stand in solidarity with Al-Rabiah and other human rights defenders as they fight for freedom and justice.
