Over 5,000 Political Prisoners in Saudi Arabia: Shocking Numbers Expose the Myth of Reform
Together for Justice expresses deep concern over the alarming figures revealed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his discussion with U.S. senators, where he admitted that the number of political prisoners in the kingdom has exceeded 5,000 detainees. Notably, he specifically used the term “political prisoner” rather than “prisoner” or “detainee”, highlighting the targeted suppression of dissent.
This staggering number reflects the worsening repression in Saudi Arabia, where prisons remain filled with opposition figures, including women, minors, and individuals who were underage at the time of the alleged offenses.
While Saudi authorities have reportedly released between 700 and 750 individuals in recent months, according to sources close to the Crown Prince, this does not indicate genuine progress in human rights. Instead, it appears to be a cosmetic measure aimed at easing international pressure while thousands of innocent individuals remain behind bars for simply exercising their right to free expression.
Saudi prisons hold thousands of detainees, including men, women, and children, as well as individuals who were minors at the time of their alleged offenses. These individuals have committed no crime other than expressing their opinions or exercising their legitimate rights, yet they face harsh sentences and inhumane detention conditions.
Many of them have been subjected to unfair trials, with some receiving severe sentences, including long prison terms and even the death penalty, handed down by a politicized judiciary that has lost all semblance of independence and justice. Saudi courts routinely issue harsh verdicts based on vague and fabricated charges, relying on confessions extracted under torture while denying detainees their basic right to a fair defense. These trials are nothing more than formalities dictated by security agencies.
The repression extends beyond the detainees themselves, affecting their families through collective punishment measures such as travel bans, the denial of passport renewals for family members abroad, and the stripping of fundamental rights. These practices expose the true face of the Saudi regime, which continues to violate basic human rights with complete disregard for international standards.
Despite the Saudi authorities’ claims of reform, the reality is that prisons remain packed with political prisoners, completely contradicting these assertions. Genuine reform cannot be claimed without:
- The unconditional release of all political prisoners
- Accountability for those responsible for these violations
- Compensation for those subjected to torture, abuse, and arbitrary detention
- Urgent International Action Needed
We call on the international community to take immediate action and pressure Saudi authorities to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and end the arbitrary arrests targeting activists, journalists, academics, and intellectuals.
- End the collective punishment of detainees’ families, including the lifting of travel bans and the restoration of their rights.
- Provide full compensation to both current and former detainees for the harm suffered due to arbitrary detention and torture, and hold those responsible for these violations accountable.
The deteriorating human rights situation in Saudi Arabia requires serious international intervention. Every moment of silence only prolongs the suffering of thousands of innocent people and their families. Together for Justice urges the international community to intensify pressure on Riyadh to put an end to these grave violations.
