Nearly Four Years in Detention: The Continued Imprisonment of Nassar Al-Fraidi Over Solidarity Tweets Highlights Escalating Suppression of Freedom of Expression in Saudi Arabia

Saudi citizen Nassar Al-Fraidi has now spent nearly four years in detention since his arrest in November 2022, in a case that reflects the continued targeting of individuals for peaceful expression on social media, amid a lack of transparency regarding his legal status and judicial proceedings.

According to available information, Al-Fraidi was arrested after publishing a series of tweets expressing solidarity with prisoners of conscience, including the late Abdullah Al-Hamid, and calling for the release of detainees affiliated with the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association (ACPRA). Since then, there has been no clear information regarding his appearance before a court or the progress of his case, raising serious concerns about the legal safeguards afforded to him.

The available facts indicate that his detention falls within a broader pattern of measures targeting peaceful expression, particularly in cases involving human rights advocacy or calls for reform, where such activities are treated as grounds for arrest and prosecution.

From a legal perspective, the detention of Al-Fraidi on the basis of peaceful tweets constitutes a restriction on freedom of expression, a fundamental right protected under international human rights law. Furthermore, his prolonged detention without clarity on judicial proceedings or access to due process raises concerns of arbitrary detention and violates the right to liberty and security of person, as well as fair trial guarantees.

International standards, including Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, affirm the protection of freedom of opinion and expression. United Nations mechanisms, particularly the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, have repeatedly emphasized that no individual should be deprived of liberty for the peaceful exercise of these rights.

This case, in its broader context, reflects the continued use of detention as a tool to restrict peaceful activity, including expressions of solidarity and calls for the release of other detainees, raising increasing concerns about the scope of restrictions on fundamental freedoms in Saudi Arabia.

Accordingly, Together for Justice joins the calls of international human rights organizations demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Nassar Al-Fraidi, full disclosure of his legal status, and the guarantee of his fundamental rights, including the right to a fair trial or release. Together for Justice also calls for an end to the targeting of individuals for peaceful expression and for the review of practices that restrict fundamental freedoms, in line with Saudi Arabia’s international obligations.